So, Apple simply held its annual WWDC convention the place it broadcasts all the brand new software program for the following 12 months. And the corporate proudly introduced the following model of iOS for the iPhone, iOS 26. You probably have an iPhone mannequin newer than the XS, it is possible for you to to replace to iOS 26 without cost later this 12 months.
However the present model variety of iOS is iOS 18. So what occurred to iOS 19? Why did Apple leap to 26?
The easy purpose is that OS model numbers are based mostly on advertising reasonably than arduous science, and Apple can identify its platforms no matter it needs.
Apple has taken this chance to align the iPhone working system model quantity with the present calendar 12 months. However isn’t the present 12 months 2025, and 2026 is subsequent 12 months? Sure, however the lifetime of the brand new OS will principally reside in 2026. iOS 26 might be in developer beta this summer time and solely formally launch to the general public in September 2025.
iOS 26 will then be the present working system all through to September 2026, once we assume iOS 27 might be prepared. However meaning for 9 out of the twelve months of iOS 26’s lifespan, will probably be the 2026 working system.
So, that’s the reason Apple has determined to quantity iOS after the digits of the approaching 12 months. For consistency, the corporate can be shifting all of its different platforms to the 26 numbering scheme as effectively. This implies they may all turn into:
iOS 19 -> iOS 26
iPadOS 19 -> iPadOS 26
watchOS 11 -> watchOS 26
macOS 15 -> macOS 26
visionOS 3 -> visionOS 26
tvOS 19 -> tvOS 26
That definitely makes it simpler to maintain all the things straight in your reminiscence. The large query is whether or not Apple will comply with swimsuit and rebrand the iPhone mannequin model to additionally comply with the calendar. Proper now, we’re on the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 17 lineup is coming this fall. So, Apple may name it the iPhone 26 reasonably than iPhone 17.
However this appears much less seemingly because the iPhone branding is so dominant. Concord with the software program model just isn’t sufficient of a justification to upend the iPhone naming scheme. Moreover, Apple likes to promote iPhones for a number of years.
Whereas OS variations are out-of-date yearly and prospects can replace without cost, iPhone prospects is perhaps shopping for the 2026 iPhone as new three years later. As an example, although the iPhone 16 is the present new mannequin, Apple nonetheless sells the iPhone 15 by its web site and carriers inventory new stock of iPhone 14 and iPhone 13, even.
Apple may go wild and make it the iPhone 26, however proper now, the odds-on guess is that can proceed incrementing by one and we’ll see the iPhone 17 working iOS 26 formally debut in September.
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