WWDC 2025: Apple rebrands to iOS 26 and macOS 26. Thoughts?

[mvu]

Instead of seeing iOS 19 and macOS 16 at WWDC this year on June 9, Apple is planning for iOS 26 and macOS 26.

It's a similar name convention for automakers. Like the Toyota Camry 2026.

Other Apple Operating Systems will follow suit. 

iOS 26
iPadOS 26
macOS 26
watchOS 26
tvOS 26
visionOS 26

Thoughts?

https://www.macrumors.com/2025/05/29/ios-26-again-rumored/

[AJPinto]

My first thoughts are this is the rumor mill, and I wait until Apple announces things before paying any real attention.

On the merits of Apples software naming convention. Having iOS, tvOS, WatchOS, VisionOS, macOS all on different versions is very confusing and remembering what number to call what OS in a conversation or even an email can be challenging. I’m also still annoyed iOS and iPadOS split apart, if apple actually did something relevant with iPadOS (not you stage manager, go back where you came from but external display support is nice) I’d not be as annoyed but even now iPadOS is still just iOS with a couple of extra functions.

[howie_isaacks]

I like the OS names but like you, I'm annoyed about iOS and iPadOS being split. I still don't use "iPadOS" unless it's necessary. I remember when Steve Jobs announced during the first iPhone presentation that "iPhone runs OS X". At their core, they're all the SAME OS derived from the work done at NeXT.

[ScottEKendall]

I hope this is true as well as a new iPhone '26...not iPhone 16...it makes it way simpler to denote what you have by release year...

[shrisivakumaran]

It will be ease for admins to rember the version of the OS easily, will wait and see...

[howie_isaacks]

I remember the version of every macOS and iOS without any trouble.

[dletkeman]

My guess is this will happen.  Smart move in my opinion.  Should have happened long ago.

[howie_isaacks]

Until Apple announces this, it's just a rumor. If true, I think it would be dumb. It was dumb to version OS X Yosemite as 10.10. Since Mavericks was 10.9 why couldn't Yosemite be 11 and just drop the whole "OS X" naming altogether?

[mvu]

It seems like this new naming convention is tracking. My guess is that Apple will do this.

I'm on the fence. It's an odd jump at first, from iOS 18 to iOS 26.

But I get why. It would help with remembering features and issues by the year. If they change the name of the software, I think the hardware should follow suit, too.

[dstranathan]

Terminal (sw_vers):                                                

ProductName: macOS
ProductVersion: 26.0
BuildVersion: 25A5279m

Jamf Pro 11.7:

 

[PablitoGordito]

Jamf Pro 11.17.1:

[aparten]

Mine also showed 26.0 from the initial DDM inventory update. But after a full recon, Jamf changed it to 16.0.0.