iOS 18.2 could receive a full public release with Image Playground & ChatGPT on December 9

On Monday, Apple released the third developer beta of iOS 18.2. Along with the various changes and quality-of-life improvements, the software also contains an update for carrier-specific settings.

The third developer beta contains an update for devices using the British carrier EE. The carrier settings shipped with iOS 18.1 and the second developer beta of iOS 18.2 had the version number 59.5.1, while iOS 18.2 developer beta 3 increased the EE carrier settings version to 60.5.2.

As originally discovered by MacRumors, the update removes the "Add WiFi Calling for Other Devices" option from System settings. This means that users of the EE network will no longer be able to initiate calls from their iPad or Mac via Wi-Fi. The carrier confirmed this change via a notice posted on the company's website.

The notice explains that Wi-Fi calling on iPad and MacBook devices will no longer be available for EE users starting December 9. While there is no definitive proof, this may be when Apple will make iOS 18.2 available to the general public. This would explain why EE included the date in its notice to customers.

It's worth noting that iOS 18.2 is still in beta testing, meaning that further changes are always possible, albeit unlikely. The update primarily focuses on Apple Intelligence, introducing support for Image Playground, Genmoji, Visual Intelligence, and ChatGPT integration via Siri. There's also a new FindMy feature that helps users locate lost luggage or AirTags.

The software has been rumored to receive a full public release sometime in December of 2024, which would line up with the date from the UK carrier's notice.