Apple may align the naming of its software versions with the upcoming year. Photo: Apple
Apple may begin aligning its software version names with calendar years starting this year.
According to Bloomberg, Apple could announce a major rebrand of its OS naming scheme at WWDC 2025. Rather than continuing with sequential version numbers (e.g., iOS 18, iOS 19), Apple could adopt a year-based naming system. This means that instead of iOS 19, the next iOS could be called iOS 26.
If true, Apple will preview iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26 and visionOS 26 at WWDC 2025 next week. It is said that the year-based naming system will make the different software versions less confusing for consumers and developers.
There is some truth to that because while it is iOS 18 right now for the iPhone, it's macOS Sequoia 15 for Macs. The latest watchOS? That's watchOS 11.
The major rebrand is also expected to coincide with the massive UI overhaul across the software platforms, with the ultimate goal of a more consistent experience.
Source: Bloomberg
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