iOS 26 instead of iOS 19: shared echo on Apple’s expected version jump

Greetings from Microsoft and Samsung: On iOS 18 and MacOS 15 follow iOS 26 and MacOS 26. With the unexpected change to a model year name, Apple ultimately wanted to make it easier for end customers and developers, explained the financial news agency Bloombergwhich first reported on the previously unconfirmed change. The split reactions triggered among Apple users and developers: While some of them welcoming the version number as long overdue, others criticize that Apple is once a particularly bulky name for Windows. IOS 19.1 will probably be called iOS 26 Service Pack 1, is a common joke.

New functions every year

With this model year numbering, Apple also cements the hectic annual rhythm for operating systems, is a repeated fear. Instead of eliminating methodically basic bugs, this creates an even greater compulsion to always deliver new functions.

In the case of several developers who mainly write software for Apple platforms, the report also met with little love: that will be “hell”, Craumos and iOS developers Craig Hockenberry summarized. The jump from “19” to “26” was not simply solved by a simple “search and replace”. The three decades up to Mach and Next back -down dependencies would ensure considerable complexity. It also remains unclear whether the operating systems and Apple’s APIs are relying on the new versioning scheme.

Apple allegedly wants to standardize operating systems

According to a report, both “MacOS 26” and “MacOS 16” can be found in internal preliminary builds of the next MacOS version. In the new operating system version, “MacOS 10.16” appeared in the new operating system version in the new operating system version. In the event of a problem, end users would only know the year of the operating system, but hardly the installed current version, fear developers.

The list of Apple operating systems is getting longer: To iOS, iPados, Macos, Watchos and TVOs, Visionos has now joined, and there is also audioos or the HomePod software. Observers expect Apple to standardize its operating systems this year and to adapt the sometimes different user interfaces with a redesign.