Apple is said to be changing its strategy regarding software names and may skip iOS 19, which could turn out to be a positive move.
The issue with Apple’s various software products is their lack of intuitive clarity. Presently, we have iOS 18, watchOS 11, and macOS 15, offering no clear indication of which is the earliest platform (for the record, it’s macOS).
A recent Bloomberg article suggests that Apple intends to change this, starting with what we’ve been calling iOS 19.
Farewell iOS 19, welcome iOS 26
According to the reliable Mark Gurman, Apple is set to make significant changes to its software naming system that will impact every device in its lineup.
From the upcoming iOS version onwards, each new Apple operating system will be identified by its release year. This means we’ll see iOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26.
This strategy is quite logical as it allows users to easily identify when a platform was launched. Moving ahead, distinguishing between various old platforms will be straightforward.
Apple is anticipated to reveal this at WWDC 2025 on June 9, likely alongside a new, unified user interface across all of Apple’s unique devices.
Apple
Apple’s competitors have set the trend
Apple is not the first tech company to come to this conclusion. In 2020, Samsung switched to naming its flagship Galaxy S smartphones based on the year of release – hence this year’s Samsung Galaxy S25.
A more notable case – and one that is more relevant to Apple’s scenario – is Microsoft with its Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows 2000 operating systems.
However, Microsoft later reverted that straightforward naming strategy with subsequent versions, resulting in the release of Windows 11 in 2021.
A potential source of confusion is that Apple plans to use the following year for naming, rather than the actual year the platform is launched. Almost there, Apple. Almost there.
Conclusion
Out with the outdated, in with the modern – it seems Apple has finally aligned its naming conventions. Let’s hope they don’t follow in Microsoft’s footsteps.
