Bloomberg reported today that Apple will be re-planning its six major operating systems—iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS—ushering in significant changes. Starting this year, new systems will no longer use traditional version numbers but will be named with the year as a suffix.
According to the original plan, the next generation iOS 19 system, scheduled for release this June, will no longer be called “19” but will be directly named iOS 26.
Consequently, the other systems will be named: iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26. Why not named after 2025? This is because most users will only experience the full features of these systems in 2026. This naming logic is similar to that of cars, where, for example, BMW and Mercedes-Benz models revamped in 2024 are referred to as 2025 models.
Bloomberg states that Apple’s naming adjustment aims to synchronize the version numbers across its different systems. The current operating system version numbers, such as iOS 18, watchOS 12, macOS 15, and visionOS 2, appear somewhat chaotic, easily confusing users and developers. Unifying them with a year suffix will facilitate management for Apple and developers, and make it easier for users to identify.
In addition to the name change, this year will feature Apple’s largest interface redesign in history, codenamed “Solarium.” The new design will be based on the glass-like aesthetic of the visionOS system, described as “more fluid, more modern.” Apple’s goal is to unify this style across all six operating systems.
Insiders claim that the new design Apple introduces this year will have an impact far exceeding the iOS 7 redesign of 2013. The iOS 26 system will be released on June 10th. At that time, users will be able to experience the latest system (beta version) for free without needing to purchase a new device, which is one of the most anticipated events for Apple fans every year.
