This is what iOS 26 will be like: Apple changes the names of its systems according to the year

Apple is planning a complete restructuring of the numbering of its operating systems. The idea is to align the numbers with the year of release.

Instead of launching iOS 19 in 2026, it will be introduced as iOS 26. The same will happen with the rest of its platforms.

What will the new operating system numbering look like?

According to Mark Gurman, Apple will update all its systems with a new scheme that will begin to apply starting in 2026.

• iOS 26 (instead of iOS 19)
• iPadOS 26 (instead of iPadOS 19)
• macOS 26 (instead of macOS 16)
• tvOS 26 (instead of tvOS 19)
• watchOS 26 (instead of watchOS 12)
• visionOS 26 (instead of visionOS 3)

Why is Apple changing the numbering?

The idea is to match the numbers with the year, similar to cars, which are sold as next year's models.

With this change, iOS 26 will be the iPhone's operating system in 2026. In 2027, iOS 27 will be introduced, and so on.

What will happen with products like iPhone or Apple Watch?

There is no official confirmation, but it's likely that iPhone will also adopt a similar change.

In 2025, iPhone 17 is expected, while other products like iPad, Mac, and Apple TV are already identified by generations, without issue.

Apple Watch could be next to change

Currently, Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 are expected this year.

The numbering of the watches could also be updated to avoid confusion in the future.