Apple will introduce a new operating system naming convention – iOS 26 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 on June 9. Instead of presenting iOS 19 as we all expected, Apple has decided to correspond software versioning with the associated release year in order to lessen confusion and standardize naming of its operating systems across all its platforms.
Apple seems to believe the iOS 18 operating system deserves to go through an ‘incredibly major downward hop’ from iOS 19 to the iOS 26 designation. The ’26’ suffix will indicate that all the operating systems offered by Apple will be ‘Twenty-six’ this year.
The new iOS 26 operating system will adopt a new user interface inspired by VisionOS (currently powering Apple’s Vision Pro headset). Features to expect are dynamic icons, softer curves, new haptic experiences, floating navigation bars, and more layered transparencies in the hopes of creating a cumulative effect on the user experience from Apple hardware and software, rather than distancing them when interacting with multiple Apple devices.
Most notably, core apps like Camera and Messages are expected to be substantially enhanced to improve functionality and user experience in iOS 26. Apple Intelligence, which represents Apple’s new suite of artificial intelligence integrated tools, should incorporate smarter features and improved performance to the operating system’s environment.
The official announcement and demos of iOS 26 will be released during the WWDC keynote on June 9, 2025. Eager anticipation is building globally for both fans and developers, who are all looking forward to get a first look at the future of Apple’s software ecosystem.
In this bold move, Apple, more than ever, is seeking to redefine its software branding, better aligning with the calendar year while providing more uniformity with the software experience across all its devices.
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