Apple wants to standardize version numbers across devices

WatchOS 12, iOS 18.5, macOS 15.5 – It is not easy for users to recognize whether the version number of the various Apple operating systems is current or long outdated. Apple is therefore reportedly planning to standardize version designations across devices by using the year as the main component in future. The business news service Bloomberg claims to have learned this from insiders who wish to remain unnamed.

The next major release of the iPhone operating system iOS, which is expected in the fall, could therefore not have the version number 19, but 26, which is supposed to stand for 2026. macOS, WatchOS and all others are also expected to jump to version 26 with the next major release. There is no official confirmation from Apple yet, and the change may only be announced at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference WWDC25, which takes place from June 9 to 13.

The major differences in the current version numbers are historically because development began at different times and the operating systems of the various devices rarely have a common ancestor. While iPadOS was only decoupled from the then current iPhone operating system iOS 12 in 2019 and therefore iOS and iPadOS usually have the same version numbers, the development of WatchOS for Apple's smartwatches started anew in 2015 with version 1.0. At that time, macOS already had the version number 10.11. The future use of a year as the main component of the version number would make it easier for users to recognize whether they are working with a (reasonably) current or a completely outdated operating system version.

(mid)