No iOS 19: Apple Going Straight to iOS 26

[MacRumors]

With the design overhaul that's coming this year, Apple plans to rename all of its operating systems, reports Bloomberg. Going forward, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS will be identified by year, rather than by version number. We're not going to be getting iOS 19, we're getting iOS 26.

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iOS 26 will be accompanied by iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26 instead of iPadOS 19, macOS 16, tvOS 19, watchOS 12, and visionOS 3.

Changing the name of the operating systems will introduce consistency across the lineup, rather than having several disparate numbers that don't match up. Apple is using vehicle-style numbering for operating systems and choosing the number of the upcoming year, so it'll be iOS 26 instead of iOS 25 because the update will be available across both 2025 and 2026.

The names will reflect a new effort by Apple to provide a more unified design across operating systems on different devices. The refreshed visionOS-like design update is coming to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS.

Apple plans to announce the new naming scheme at the Worldwide Developers Conference that's set to begin on Monday, June 9.

Article Link: No iOS 19: Apple Going Straight to iOS 26

 

[MacUserFella]

As if skipping iPhone numbers wasn’t enough

 

[emmab2006]

you have got to be kitten me ....

 

[Andres Cantu]

Now they'll never take a year off to fix all the bugs.

 

[Aleh]

I’ve been expecting something like this for a while, makes total sense.

 

[ToothBlueth]

A leap in technology!

 

[nfl46]

Say what now? Lmao.

I was not expecting that! It’s so random.

But they really should do this with the iPhone, iPad, etc.

iPhone (2026), iPhone Pro (2026), and so on…

 

[Royksöpp]

Is this an April fools joke?

 

[jon9091]

When you run out of ideas…change the numbering scheme. 🥴

 

[ToothBlueth]

iOS season 25-26

 

[xhArRiSoNxD]

Will we be getting iPhone 26 too? Lol

 

[AMTYVLE]

Apple has something against the number "9". No iPhone 9, and now renaming iOS 19. Makes sense though.

 

[jz0309]

Gurman - really?
He’s the source, so must be true…
/s

On a serious note, not sure that I care, it sure will make it easier to to if the latest OS release

 

[TechWhisperer]

This is Apple‘s response to Jony Ive. They’re experiencing an existential crisis. LMAO!

 

[TonyC28]

In case they weren’t already locked into an annual release cycle whether they had something worthy or not…

 

[Bako-MacAddict]

Genuinely confused

 

[TruthWatcher412]

Makes sense. Samsung does it with their phones so if this happens, assuming we’ll be getting iPhone year as well?

 

[abatabia]

What a completely baffling and bad idea.

 

[macdaddy43]

Honestly it makes sense. I do think Samsung did one thing right by naming their phones now after the year they came out (S25, etc.). Nobody remembers what year the iPhone 14 came out, why not make it easy for everyone for both hardware and software?

 

[Joseph C]

iPhone 26, iPhone 26 Air, iPhone 26 Pro and iPhone 26 Pro Max/Ultra in September?

Betcha.

 

[Populus]

Wait, Juli, is it April 1st already?

Ohhh it’s because of the year! Then why not choose ‘25 instead?

EDIT: I get it, I get it, it’s going to be around during all 2026. It’s just I don’t like that sudden jump in version, from 18 to 26… it’s going to sound weird. Or maybe we’ll get used to it short after, I don’t know.

 

[adonis72]

This makes me wonder what naming scheme they’ll use on the iPhones eventually.. are we really gonna have an iPhone 25 or an iPhone 30?

 

[ToothBlueth]

iPhone 26, iPhone 26 Air, iPhone 26 Pro and iPhone 26 Pro Max/Ultra in September?

Betcha.

Next year will be iPhone 36

 

[sherwinzadeh]

The Microsoft-ication of Apple has set in

 

[Kissmo1980]

I bet it was SIRI who came up with the suggestion