iOS 26 Not Catching on As Many iPhone Users Stick to iOS 18

Four months after launch, iOS 26 continues to struggle with adoption rates that lag dramatically behind those of previous iOS versions. Data from StatCounter reports that only around 16% of iPhones run iOS 26, with over 60% of users still on iOS 18. This is a severe slowdown compared to iOS 18, which reached 63% adoption within the same timeframe a year earlier.

Though StatCounter is a useful gauge of iOS 26's popularity (or lack thereof), adoption rates can be difficult to measure. Apple froze Safari's user agent string in iOS 26 to protect privacy, causing devices running iOS 26 to report as iOS 18 when tracked through web analytics, Kochava reports. This means StatCounter likely misses some iOS 26 devices entirely.

Beyond the usual design criticism, iOS 26 launched with bugs that turned many users away. Complaints mentioned faster battery drain, excessive overheating, app crashes, and Wi-Fi ...