Apple plans to rename major software by year, upgrading iOS 18 software to iOS 26

Apple Inc. is planning the most thorough transformation in the naming history of its operating systems.

On May 28, according to media reports, Apple plans to unify the naming of all its operating systems with year identifiers starting this year, instead of the previously confusing version number system. This means that the current iOS 18 will jump directly to "iOS 26," while iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 will also be launched simultaneously.

The core logic behind this naming strategy is uniformity. Currently, Apple's operating systems present confusing numerical differences: iOS 18, watchOS 12, macOS 15, visionOS 2—this inconsistency arises from the different release times of the first versions of each system, but it creates understanding barriers for users and developers.

Reports indicate that Apple will officially announce this change at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9. The new naming system will be accompanied by a new user interface design codenamed "Solarium," covering tvOS, watchOS, and parts of the visionOS system. This design concept aims to ensure a more unified experience for users when switching between different devices.

It is noteworthy that Apple is adopting a "future year" strategy—although the new operating systems will be released around September 2025, they will be named for 2026, similar to marketing practices in the automotive industry. If this strategy continues, subsequent versions will sequentially use the year identifiers 27, 28, and so on. As of Wednesday's press time, Apple's stock price fluctuated slightly up by 0.46%, returning to a market value of $3 trillion.

Apple's move is not without precedent in the industry. In 2020, Samsung Electronics changed its flagship Galaxy S series to a year-based naming system, jumping directly from Galaxy S10 to Galaxy S20. Earlier, in 1995, Microsoft also adopted a similar strategy, launching Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows 2000.

In fact, Apple itself attempted a similar approach in August 2007, launching the iWork '08 and iLife '08 suites, and then released iLife '11 in October 2010.

Not just a name change, Apple's new system brings new technology

The naming change is merely the surface of Apple's software restructuring plan; what is more noteworthy is the functional innovation behind the naming changes.

Reports indicate that Apple plans to provide "a more Mac-like experience" for the iPad, which could fundamentally change the positioning of tablets in office scenarios. At the same time, Apple is opening its AI models to third-party developers, allowing them to access the underlying technology of the Apple Intelligence platform Upcoming new features also include real-time translation mode for AirPods and Siri, eye scroll operation options for the Vision Pro headset, as well as AI-driven health features and battery management modes.

In addition, Apple will launch an Arabic-English bidirectional keyboard and digital calligraphy pen features for Apple Pencil users