Apple has released iOS 18.7.6 for older iPhone models, addressing a critical issue that prevented some devices in Australia from connecting properly to emergency services.
The update specifically targets the iPhone XS and iPhone XR.
iOS 18.7.6 fixes emergency network connection bug
According to Apple’s official release notes:
This update addresses a mobile network issue for iPhone XS models and iPhone XR when establishing a connection to emergency services in Australia.
Australian mobile network operators have been upgrading their emergency calling infrastructure, which unfortunately led to compatibility problems with certain older iPhones. In some cases, affected devices were unable to reliably establish a connection when dialing emergency services.
Apple has been working through multiple software updates to resolve the issue. Previous patches included iOS 16.7.4 and iOS 26.2.1. However, the situation became more complicated when some updates worsened the bug.
Back in December, Apple temporarily pulled several releases, including iOS 18.7.4, iOS 16.7.13, iOS 15.8.6, and iOS 12.5.8, after reports that they interfered with emergency calling functionality.
Important update for affected users in Australia
With iOS 18.7.6, Apple aims to fully stabilize emergency call connectivity for iPhone XS and iPhone XR users in Australia. If you own one of these models and are located in Australia, installing this update is strongly recommended.
