Before Apple releases iOS 26 this fall, the company will likely release iOS 18.6 this month. The company released the second public beta of that software on July 1 but it didn’t change much on the iPhones of developers and beta testers. While iOS 26 will bring a major redesign to iPhones, the latest beta is filled with bug and security fixes so developers and beta testers shouldn’t expect new features.
Read more: iOS 26 Finally Lets Us Get Rid of the Abomination That Is the 9-Minute Snooze
Apple/Screenshot by CNET
Because this is a beta, I recommend downloading it on something other than your primary device. Because this isn’t the final version of iOS 18.6, the update might be buggy, and battery life may be affected, so it’s best to keep those troubles off your primary device.
Note that the beta is not the final version of iOS 18.6 so more features could land on your iPhone when it is released. Apple will likely release iOS 18.6 to the general public this month but an exact release date is unclear. However, iOS 18.6 will likely be the last significant iOS 18 update the company releases before it makes iOS 26 available this fall.
Here’s what to expect from iOS 18.6 when it lands on your iPhone.
This beta is all about security patches and squashing bugs
If you’re a developer or beta tester, don’t expect much from this beta other than bug and security fixes. After downloading and looking into iOS 18.6 beta 2, I found no new features or noticeable changes. And that’s not surprising considering Apple’s iOS release schedule over the years.
Apple announced iOS 18 at WWDC 2024 and released iOS 17.6 more than a month later in July. That update was filled with more than 30 important bug fixes and security patches but no new features. Apple recommended that everyone download the update at the time and it was the last major iOS 17 update before the release of iOS 18.
Apple did the same thing in July 2023 when it released iOS 16.6. When the tech giant released that update, it was focused on bug fixes and security patches; the next major iOS release was iOS 17.
Apple is likely shifting gears and focusing more on iOS 26. In fact, the company has already released two developer betas of that iOS software in preparation for its fall release.
There will likely be more betas before iOS 18.6 is released to the public, so there’s plenty of time for Apple to add features or change others — but I wouldn’t count on new features. Apple has not announced when it will release iOS 18.6 but because iOS 17.6 and iOS 16.6 were both released in July of 2024 and 2023, respectively, I expect Apple to release iOS 18.6 this month.
For more on iOS 18, here’s what you need to know about iOS 18.5 and iOS 18.4, as well as our iOS 18 cheat sheet. You can also check out what you should know about iOS 26.
Watch this: iOS 26 vs Android 16: Who Copied Who and Who Did It Better? | All Things Mobile
Whether you’re planning some international travel, or you just want to improve your language skills, being bilingual — or even multilingual — is an advantage. But few of us have the time and money to dedicate to ongoing in-person classes. Luckily, language learning programs like Rosetta Stone can make the language learning process much easier. And right now, thanks to a StackSocial deal, it’s a lot more affordable, too. Currently, StackSocial is offering a lifetime subscription to Rosetta Stone at 54% off, reducing the cost to $180. Add in the coupon code FLUENT at checkout, and the price drops down to just $149. That’s a whopping $250 off the regular price.
Rosetta Stone can help you learn many of the world’s most popular languages. This includes French, Italian, German, Arabic, Dutch, Filipino, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Irish, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese and more.
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Every single lesson on Rosetta Stone is split up into smaller, more manageable parts. You can even download lessons to complete offline if you find yourself wanting to keep going on the plane. Plus, you can practice your accent using speech recognition technology.
Your one-time purchase gains you get lifetime access to Rosetta Stone’s language learning platform. Keep in mind this offer is for new users only, and there are some system requirements in order to use the software. You’ll need either Windows 7 or higher or Mac OS X 10.9 or higher.
If you’re looking for more ways to prepare for your travel plans this summer, don’t forget these must-have travel essentials.
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Why this deal matters
For less than $150, you can grab yourself a lifetime subscription to Rosetta Stone. If you buy a subscription directly on Rosetta Stone, a one-year subscription will set you back $131. You can grab the lifetime membership for just $18 more, making this a pretty sweet deal. Just be sure to enter the coupon code FLUENT at checkout.
Impulse Buys Under $25 That Make Surprisingly Great Gifts
Laptop Mag is shutting down after nearly 35 years of providing consumers with in-depth information about laptops and other technology. In a staff meeting seen by The Verge, Faisal Alani, the global brand director at Laptop Mag owner Future PLC, said, “After careful consideration and a review of our long-term strategy, we’ve made the decision to close the Laptop Mag business effective today.”
Laptop Mag has gone through many evolutions over the years. It started as a print publication in 1991 when Bedford Communications launched the Laptop Buyers’ Guide and Handbook. Laptop Mag was later acquired by TechMedia Network (now called Purch) in 2011 and transitioned to digital-only content in 2013. Future PLC, the publisher that owns brands like PC Gamer, Tom’s Guide, and TechRadar, acquired Purch and Laptop Mag along with it.
“We are incredibly grateful for your dedication, talent, and contributions to Laptop Mag, and we are committed to supporting you throughout this transition,” Alani said. Laptop Mag’s shutdown follows the closure of long-time tech site AnandTech, which was also owned by Future PLC. It’s not clear whether Laptop Mag’s archives will be available following the shutdown. Future PLC declined to comment.
Formula 1 has grown significantly over the years, with strict safety regulations that are life-saving on one hand but can lead to heavy penalties for drivers if even slightly violated. However, there was a time in the 1990s when things were a little less rigid — like the iconic moment during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, when Ayrton Senna hitched a ride on the body of Nigel Mansell’s F1 car after his own had run out of fuel.
When Ayrton Senna ran out of fuel and hitched a ride on track
The legendary British Grand Prix moment was recently shared by F1 on their X handle, leaving motorsport fans in awe. The video shows Senna taking a ride back to the garage on Mansell’s car after the latter had just won the race — and was gracious enough to offer a lift.Nigel Mansell had won the 1991 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, starting from pole position while racing for Williams-Renault. Ayrton Senna, who finished fourth, ran out of fuel in his McLaren-Honda on the final lap. True to his sporting nature, he accepted the lift back to the pits.
Fans call the British Grand Prix moment “iconic”
F1 fans hailed the moment on X, calling it “legendary” and “iconic.” Many also questioned whether such an act would even be legal under today’s regulations. One user commented, “F1 history in one frame!” Another wrote, “@fia unban this stuff bro, drivers should be allowed to have fun.” A third said, “This is one of my favorite F1 moments.”Another comment read, “In today’s highly regulated F1, both drivers would get points on their license and/or some kind of grid penalty for the next race. Lord save us from officialdom.” In the comments section, a user also shared another video clip and pointed out, “You left out the funniest part — when the marshal tries to stop him and Senna pushes him away.”Tragically, Senna lost his life three years later in a racing accident during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola.Also Read: Arvid Lindblad will make F1 debut with practice session at British Grand Prix, could replace Max VerstappenThe British Grand Prix returns this year to Silverstone, scheduled from July 4 – 6. It’s a special home race for McLaren’s Lando Norris, who just claimed his third win of the season in Austria on Sunday.
NASA+ on Netflix will show rocket launches like the SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying the company’s Crew … More Dragon spacecraft and astronauts to the ISS. (Photo by SpaceX via Getty Images)
Getty Images
The countdown is over. NASA announced earlier today that it will be providing its NASA+ programming service on Netflix. Rocket launches, astronaut spacewalks, mission coverage and live views of Earth from the International Space Station will all form part of the content available from the subscription streaming service.
Although NASA stated that the move would begin “starting this summer,” neither the agency nor Netflix provided a specific date.
However, NASA did confirm that the move would be global, stating that “Netflix reaches a global audience of more than 700 million people.” Netflix had 300 million paid memberships in March 2025.
What Is NASA+?
NASA+ isn’t new. It launched as a standalone, free streaming service in 2023 as an upgrade to NASA TV. It hosts content from active missions, research labs and the ISS, as well as archive footage and documentaries.
Nor is this an exclusive content deal. Although Netflix will provide a feed from NASA+, the service will remain available at no cost and ad-free via the NASA app and on the agency’s website.
1958 Space Act
“The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 calls on us to share our story of space exploration with the broadest possible audience,” said Rebecca Sirmons, general manager of NASA+ at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. “Together, we’re committed to a Golden Age of Innovation and Exploration – inspiring new generations – right from the comfort of their couch or in the palm of their hand from their phone.”
In a press release, NASA added that its goal with the Netflix deal was to “bring the excitement of the agency’s discoveries, inventions, and space exploration to people, wherever they are.”
What To Expect From NASA+
The main attraction for most Netflix users will be the chance to watch rocket launches from Cape Canaveral — typically SpaceX Falcon 9 launches taking astronauts to the ISS, as well as the return of crew members via parachute. Viewers will also get real-time science briefings, behind-the-scenes mission prep and live broadcasts from astronauts on the ISS.
It’s not clear when NASA+ will debut on Netflix, but the next rocket launch is scheduled for 3:32 p.m. EDT on July 3, when Roscosmos plans to launch an ISS Progress 92 cargo capsule from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Nothing has launched its first pair of over-ear headphones, imaginatively named the Headphone 1. At $299, these are priced to compete with flagship fare, distinguished primarily by their distinctive Nothing design language — right down to the buttons.
While the boxy outline calls to mind Apple’s AirPods Max, the semi-transparent detailing on the outside of each ear cup is all Nothing. So are the buttons, all differently shaped, with some you press, some you flick, and some you toggle. They’re meant to be more intuitive to use by touch alone, so you don’t have to take the headphones off to remind yourself which button turns on pairing.
With active noise canceling, spatial audio, and support for lossless playback, these tick off most of the usual high-end headphone features. There’s 35 hours of battery life with noise cancellation on and an IP52 rating for water resistance, and the audio itself was developed in partnership with HiFi brand KEF, with custom 40mm drivers.
My colleague Andru Marino has already reviewed the Headphone 1, so check out his review to find out how they stack up. Preorders launch on Friday, July 4th, with a full release on the 15th.
“The Glyph interface is not a gimmick,” Nothing founder and CEO Carl Pei told the press as he revealed the Nothing Phone 3 for the first time, shortly before announcing that its new iteration lets you play Spin the Bottle on the back of the phone.
It’s mixed messaging, but in Nothing’s defense, you couldn’t accuse them of making that mistake elsewhere. The Phone 3, we’re told, is Nothing’s “first true flagship phone,” a point the company is keen to hammer home: flagship chip, flagship camera, flagship price. In fact, it’s so flagship that the company is even springing for a true US launch, its first since 2023’s Phone 2, which Pei tells me only makes sense for their “premium” phones.
At $799, the Phone 3 is priced to match the iPhone 16, Galaxy S25, and Pixel 9, as Nothing positions itself firmly outside its mid-range origins, and Pei says the company feels ready “to compete with products in that price level.” Preorders open Friday, July 4th, with general sale starting from the 15th from Nothing’s own webstore and Amazon in the US. Nothing says the phone is fully compatible with T-Mobile and AT&T, with “more limited 5G support” on Verizon.
The Phone 3 will include five years of Android OS updates.Image: Dominic Preston / The Verge
Nothing’s signature design language still runs through the OS.Image: Dominic Preston / The Verge
There are small hardware touches too, like this red square that illuminates when you’re recording video.Image: Dominic Preston / The Verge
This is Nothing’s most expensive phone yet, but on paper the specs should keep pace with the price. The Snapdragon 8S Gen 4 chip isn’t the most powerful around right now, but its performance should cope with all but the most demanding mobile games, especially paired with up to 16GB of RAM. Storage starts at 256GB, and for an additional $100, you can get 512GB.
The Nothing Phone 3 uses a silicon-carbon battery, a relatively new technology that makes it easier to fit big batteries into small phones. Here, that means a generous 5,150mAh capacity, combined with a 65W wired charging speed and 15W wireless charging speed. The 6.67-inch OLED screen is more than twice as bright as the Phone 2’s, and the IP68 water- and dust-resistance rating is a first for Nothing too. All four of the cameras — three on the back, one on the front — are 50-megapixel, though it’ll be impossible to say whether they’re any good until we get to test the phone out properly. Nothing’s camera processing has lagged a little behind the competition in the past, so this’ll be the area to watch.
All that’s in line with other flagship phones, so what makes the Phone 3 feel like Nothing? That’s where that new, gimmick-free Glyph design comes in. While previous Nothing phones have featured an array of light strips that can glow and flash in custom patterns for notifications and ringtones, here, those have been swapped out for a small, circular dot matrix LED display in one corner of the back of the phone.
The Glyph Matrix is immediately less striking than the older phones’ designs, and less unique too — Asus has included dot matrix displays on the back of its ROG gaming phones for years. Pei told me that the advantage is that custom notifications can be “much more immediate,” with easily recognizable images or emoji tied to specific apps and contacts rather than abstract animations that might be hard to grok at a glance.
The Glyph Matrix can be used for functional stuff like a stopwatch.Image: Dominic Preston / The Verge
Or less functional games including Spin the Bottle.Image: Dominic Preston / The Verge
It’s much smaller and subtler than the glaring Glyph lights of previous models.Image: Dominic Preston / The Verge
Then there are the Glyph-focused games, officially dubbed Glyph Toys, designed to add a touch of fun that’s “severely lacking in the space right now.” The Phone 3 launches with Spin the Bottle, Rock Paper Scissors, and more functional fare like a stopwatch and battery indicator, which you can cycle between using a haptic button hidden among the many shapes on the semi-transparent rear. Pei suggests you could use Spin the Bottle to help decide how to split the bill at dinner, one of those jokes that plays well during a keynote speech but doesn’t make much sense when you really think about it.
Pei insists that Nothing isn’t done iterating on the Glyph Matrix. He calls the “expandability” the most exciting part of the new design, citing Glyph Toys already developed based on ideas from the company’s “community” of fans, like a magic eight ball. “I think they might invent some novel use cases we haven’t even thought of yet,” Pei says.
The Phone 3 also sees the return of the Essential Key, a side button that debuted on the Phone 3A and 3A Pro earlier this year. It’s customizable, but by default launches Essential Space, an AI-powered app that stores and analyzes screenshots to give you reminders about events or travel plans. New to this phone is the option to transcribe and summarize meeting audio, along with a universal search bar that can track down everything from contacts to photos and answer basic factual queries.
The Phone 3 is a big swing for Nothing. It’s the company’s first move into the flagship market, and its first effort to crack the US in two years, so perhaps it’s no surprise that the phone’s new Glyph design is a little more conservative than we’re used to. Still, Nothing playing it safe has produced a bolder and more divisive phone than any Samsung or Apple has put out in years — just don’t call it a gimmick.
The phone has a grid design with three columns, representing the flexible printed circuit boards underneath. The triple-camera system is laid out along the top of these grids with the Glyph Matrix display—more on that in a second. It’s an unusual style that breaks from circular or rectangular camera modules in most phones.
The Glyph Matrix is an evolution of Nothing’s famous Glyph LEDs on prior phones. Originally designed to light up when notifications arrived, it also used the lights creatively to show how much time was left on a timer, or how close your Uber driver was to your location. The new Glyph Matrix can do all that and more, because it acts more like a display.
Nothing showed off several new “Glyph Toys” launching with the phone, like the ability to see a pixelated preview of yourself so you can take selfies with the rear cameras. There’s also a spin-the-bottle game, a Magic 8 Ball that gives you an answer when you shake the phone, and even a game of rock-paper-scissors. Intuitively, there’s a little touch-sensitive circle below you can use to cycle through these modes, instead of having to constantly switch back and forth to the settings menu on the phone’s front screen. Nothing has launched a software developer kit, so anyone can create Glyph Toys for the phone.
Another fun feature is the little red square on the back. Originally on the Phone (2a), it’s now more than just a design accent. It lights up when you’re recording a video, just like a recording light.
The phone may not have the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Elite, instead opting for the slightly lesser Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, but it still should deliver flagship-grade performance, and the rest of the specs rival competitors, especially at the $799 price. Especially notable is the use of a silicon-carbon battery, a relatively new technology that enables denser batteries in thinner designs. While it’s slightly thicker than its predecessor (by 0.2 mm), the 5,150 mAh is decently larger than the 4,700 mAh in the Phone (2).
With the third generation of its smartphone series, Nothing made the unusual move to launch the cheaper ‘a’ line first, unveiling . Now, it’s time for its latest flagship. The Nothing Phone 3, starting at $799 (with a $899 option with 16GB of RAM) goes up against giants like the Google and — a competitive slice of the smartphone world. Once again, though, there’s nothing in the market that quite resembles a Nothing, as the company attempts to balance distinctive design with flagship (and some not-quite-flagship) components.
The big change this time around is that Nothing is swapping the flashing lights of its Glyph Interface for a tiny dot-matrix display on the rear of the device and is calling it the Glyph Matrix.
Image by Mat Smith for Engadget
It’s the shiny design lynchpin of Nothing’s Phone 3. The matrix is made of 489 LEDs, and offers more utility than a light show. Nothing says it’s an evolution of the flashing lights of the Glyph Interface into something more practical. With that aim, there’s a Glyph button that sits under the glass back. Another benefit of this shift, Adam Bates, is that removing the Glyph lights freed up more space within the phone.
Instead of having the lights on the back flash in patterns to indicate when certain contacts are calling, the Phone 3’s new tiny screen can display monochromatic images instead. At first, these will be preset shapes, but eventually, you’ll be able to customize your own animation (or static dot-matrix image — it’s unclear) for each of your contacts. Ahead of launch, Nothing shared a that lets people take photos and turn them into Glyph patterns, but it’s like a very, very small Gameboy camera (but worse). The one I took kinda looks like my head? I guess? At least there’s a contrast, and gives a glimpse of what users might be able to show on the matrix screen
That’s me? (Image by Mat Smith for Engadget)
Alongside Glyph-style notifications, the matrix will be able to display simple widgets, such as weather and battery levels. It can be a stopwatch, and even a low-res mirror (more on that later). It can also be used as a visual countdown when using a timer with the camera, too. And there will even be games, like rock-paper-scissors and er, spin the bottle. Thankfully, Nothing didn’t make the assembled media test this at its big global launch. You’ll be able to make your own Glyphs through an SDK being released by Nothing. It’ll be interesting to see how difficult it is to program your own glyphs. You know what I want, already? A .
My first impression is that it’s a little more restrained than the light show of the Glyph Interface on previous phones. Additionally, a dot-matrix design really aligns with the era of design inspirations that Nothing is drawing from. You can lightly interact with the matrix through the Glyph button, which is intriguingly built under the rear cover of the Nothing Phone 3. It’s a single button, so learning the quirks of a long-press and a short-press, especially when there’s no tactile response, takes a bit of time.
Flanked by other eager photographers, YouTubers and media, I took a little too much time making the Glyph mirror work. Weirdly, you can’t use it as a selfie guide with the primary cameras, or at least I didn’t figure out how to during my hands-on.
Elsewhere, the design is inspired by the lines and shapes of the New York City subway map, while the see-through back of the Phone 3 has a three-column design that divides the component curves, camera modules and glyph matrix.
The Phone 3 is Nothing’s thinnest phone yet and is 18 percent thinner than the Phone 2. The new Nothing flagship also lacks the chonky camera unit that’s on the Phone 3a Pro. This is because, this time, Nothing has the budget to do so: the Phone 3 costs $350 more, so it can use smaller (even custom-made) components to shrink the footprint.
Instead, the three-camera layout reminds me a lot of the latest Galaxy S24 Ultra, with only slightly protruding camera lenses. It’s not flush, but perhaps I’m asking for too much — the only contemporary smartphone with an entirely flat camera unit is the Pixel 9a.
Despite its slimmer profile, the device still features a periscope zoom on a 50-megapixel sensor. It goes up to 3x optical zoom, 6x digital zoom and a 60x AI Super Res Zoom. (Yes, we all blame Google and Samsung for this nonsense.) This will also serve as a macro camera, allowing for clearer close-up shots.
The main camera is also 50MP, with an f/1.68 aperture (Nothing says it’s 70 percent faster at capture than the Phone 2) and even includes a lossless 1.5x zoom. There’s also an ultrawide camera with a 114-degree field of view and, you might have guessed, a 50MP sensor. Even the front-facing camera is 50MP. Expect the usual Android array of shooting features across the camera system, including Auto Tone, Portrait Optimizer, Night Mode Macro Mode and Action Mode. There are also several shooting presets to browse for your favorite shooting aesthetic, which I enjoyed playing with on a demo unit.
Image by Mat Smith for Engadget
I’m hopeful that the Phone 3 will be a capable enough smartphone camera. Taking some early shots, during a hectic hands-on session at the launch event, the camera app seemed faster than past Nothing devices and low-light processing seemed pretty close to the likes of Google’s Pixel.
Imaging has typically been the weakest part of Nothing’s phone strategy, but each iteration it gets better. It’s something I’m looking forward to putting to the test. Nothing has added an LED light that flashes red to indicate video recording. This can still be disabled in settings, but it’s a nice touch that taps into the red splashes you’ll see throughout Nothing’s hardware and software.
The Phone 3 also packs the company’s brightest display yet, reaching up to 1600 nits at its maximum brightness settings, peaking at 4,500 nits with compatible HDR content, The 6.67-inch screen has a higher 1.5K resolution than the Phone 2. There’s also IP68-rated protection against dust and water.
Rounding out the spec sheet, the phone has a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor, marking the biggest compromise this year. Nothing told me that the Phone 3 wasn’t chasing specs like phones that cost several hundred dollars more. However, the Galaxy S25 has the more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite, and it’s also $800.
Image by Mat Smith for Engadget
The good news is that the Phone 3 shouldn’t be perceptibly slow or laggy — the company says it’s five times faster than the Phone 3a. Nothing added there should be a 60 percent improvement on AI performance compared to the Phone 2. I’m intrigued to see how battery life fares, but not too worried. The OnePlus 13 Pro had the same processor and performed very well in our battery rundown test.
The 5,150mAh silicon-carbon battery can be charged to 50 percent in 20 minutes with a compatible 65W charger, and up to 100 percent in under an hour. It’s one of the first phones to arrive in the West with a silicon-carbon cell, adding further intrigue to how well the battery life will perform. There’s also 15W wireless charging, which Nothing seems to be keeping exclusive to its most premium phones.
The Phone 3 runs Android 15 out of the box, but with Nothing’s spin on things, featuring custom icons and native apps. That includes Essential Space, which works with a hardware button launcher first introduced on the 3a. While there were rumors that Nothing might fold the feature into a subscription, it’ll be free for the foreseeable future. However, Smart Collections, which was meant to collate screenshots and other files is still being worked on and won’t be available at launch.
The focus, software-wise, may be the new Glyph Matrix, but you can expect some of the typical AI-assisted features like natural language search that Nothing calls Essential search. It will be able to tap into everything on the Nothing Phone 3. Nothing’s cheaper 3a devices leaned into software too, but with the Phone 3 there’s more importance on the specs. The question is: Is this flagship enough?
Image by Mat Smith for Engadget
The Phone 3 is priced at $799 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. An $899 model will also launch with 16GB of RAM and 512GB storage. Both black and white versions will be available to pre-order on July 4, with sales starting July 15 on its own store at . The company plans to launch its own drops in select physical locations on July 10.
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