Apple skips iOS 19, and fast forwards to iOS 26
No, it’s not because it is packing eight versions worth of features.
Apple’s version numbers have been feeling more like footnotes than headlines lately. But this year, Apple’s skipping the slow climb and leaping straight to iOS 26. Yep, from 18 to 26 in one go—and not because it’s packing eight versions’ worth of features.
According to new reports from Bloomberg, Apple is planning a major rebrand across all its operating systems, identifying them by year rather than by version number. That means when Apple announces its next software updates at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, we’re not getting iOS 19—we’re getting iOS 26.
You might be wondering why "26" instead of "25" since the update is coming out this year. Well, Apple is using vehicle-style numbering and choosing the number of the upcoming year. So, because the update will be available across both 2025 and 2026, it'll be iOS 26 instead of iOS 25.
iOS 26 will be accompanied by iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and even visionOS 26. It’s a bold, if slightly jarring, marketing move aimed at creating visual consistency across Apple’s entire ecosystem.
Oyinebiladou Omemu
If this strategy sounds familiar, that’s because Apple’s not the first to pull it off. Microsoft famously jumped from Windows 8 to Windows 10 (skipping 9 entirely) to signal a clean break from the past. Qualcomm, too, revamped its Snapdragon naming to reduce confusion around chip tiers.
Apple’s move fits right into that pattern: more clarity, stronger branding, and better alignment across products. But Apple isn’t just changing numbers; it’s also planning a major design overhaul, heavily inspired by visionOS.
Expect smoother, more immersive interfaces and a tighter visual connection between your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro headset. New features rumoured for iOS 26 (or iOS 19) include deeper AI integration, real-time language translation for Siri and AirPods, and even eye-tracking navigation on Vision Pro.
So, while skipping a few numbers might seem like a gimmick, it’s actually a signal. Apple isn’t just evolving its OS, but it’s reshaping the narrative, aligning its platforms for a bigger, more unified leap forward.
