Apple is preparing a bold rebranding move by renaming its operating systems with year-based version numbers, starting with “iOS 26” instead of the expected iOS 19. According to Bloomberg, this new naming strategy — to be officially unveiled at WWDC 2025 on June 9 — aims to simplify version tracking across all Apple platforms.
As part of this overhaul, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS will also adopt the “26” branding to align with the upcoming 2025–2026 product cycle. This unified naming convention arrives alongside a sweeping redesign intended to bring a consistent look and feel across Apple’s ecosystem, taking cues from the sleek, spatial design of visionOS.
By aligning software version names with calendar years — similar to how automakers release new models — Apple seeks to eliminate confusion for users and developers, setting the stage for a more streamlined future in software development and branding.
