iOS 26 is official: Apple changes from version numbers to years for its OS names

As part of an overhaul to its operating systems, Apple is making one of the most significant changes ever to its OS branding, the company announced at its WWDC 25 developer's conference. Starting in 2026, it will shift from the current version numbers (macOS 15, iOS 18, iPadOS 18.5, etc.) to a year-based system across its entire OS lineup. As such, the names will change to iOS 26, iPadOS 26, MacOS 26, WatchOS 26, TVOS 26 and VisionOS 26 and follow that pattern going forward. Future Mac operating systems will still retain their California nature themes like Tahoe (the next version of macOS) and the current Sequoia.

The change is understandable — keeping track of Apple's latest updates was getting to be a chore for users given the number of unique operating systems. With the addition of the Vision Pro extended reality headset, the company now counts ...