Apple jumps to iOS 26, triggers internet meltdown and meme fest

In a sweeping rebrand, Apple is ditching its sequential naming system in favour of future-year labels - starting with iOS 26 in 2025. The goal is clarity, but the internet is already buzzing with confusion.

By  Storyboard18May 29, 2025 4:40 PM
Apple jumps to iOS 26, triggers internet meltdown and meme fest
Currently, Apple's platforms run on a mix of version numbers: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11, tvOS 18, and visionOS 2. (Image credits: Unsplash)

Apple is gearing up for a radical change in how it labels the software that powers the entire ecosystem - from iPhones to Macs.

According to reports, the tech giant will skip iOS 19 and jump straight to iOS 26, part of a new year-based naming convention that will apply across iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS.

The move aims to create a uniform structure that aligns all operating systems to the year they represent - even if that means jumping several versions ahead. That means the software launching in late 2025 will bear the name of 2026, much like how automakers release "next year" models in the current year.

Currently, Apple's platforms run on a mix of version numbers: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11, tvOS 18, and visionOS 2.

For users and developers alike, this fragmented numbering system can be disorienting. The new scheme is meant to simplify things — at least on paper.

But the reaction online tells a different story. One commenter quipped, “You know you’ve jumped the shark when you’re focused on rebranding instead of just fixing bugs.” Another added, “Why change the numbers? It seems odd really.”

However, Nothing CEO Carl Pei defended the move, stating, "The new naming will be easier to understand, normies can't remember all the version numbers and what they stand for anymore."

More reactions:

Critics are also puzzled about the timeline. Apple typically releases major software updates in September. Will iOS 26 land this September or in 2026? The logic gets blurrier the more you think about it.

First Published on May 29, 2025 4:40 PM

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