After iOS 26 and macOS 26: Is Apple also renaming the iPhone?
Apple is probably planning to replace its version number for operating systems with year numbers. Something similar could also be planned for devices.
An iPhone 15 Plus. According to the new Apple time calculation, that would probably be an iPhone 24.
(Image: Sebastian Trepesch)
It is the most controversial rumor so far at this year's Apple developer conference: Apple is reportedly planning to make a big leap in the version numbers of its operating systems and count them in annual numbers in the future, using the following year rather than the year of release. The usually planned iOS 19 would then become iOS 26, macOS 16 would become macOS 26, watchOS 12 would become watchOS 26, tvOS 19 would become tvOS 26 and visionOS 3 would possibly become visionOS 26. The version number changes immediately raise another question: Is Apple also planning to rename its iPhones?
Intended to help users – really?
One of the reasons for switching to year numbers for the operating systems is to enable users to check more quickly whether they are up to date. Do you have an OS whose number represents the current year? Then you should be correct, except September to December, when the number for the coming year applies. This is somewhat reminiscent of the way cars are advertised in the USA: There, they work with model years that also correspond to the coming calendar year when they are released.
With the iPhone, the user confusion is at least as great as with the operating systems. Why is an iPhone 16 being released in 2024? Why did Apple skip the iPhone 9? Which is the latest iPhone anyway? If Apple were to switch to annual numbers here, this could also theoretically become easier. An iPhone 17 would become an iPhone 26, but Apple would probably retain the typical word monsters, as the company has become accustomed to them. In other words, a top model for this year would then be the iPhone 26 Pro Max.
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Confusion everywhere
Rather unsightly: If Apple were to switch, it would have simply skipped the iPhone 20, which is expected as an anniversary phone in 2027. However, this wouldn't fit either: If it went in order, it would have to be the iPhone 19. However, Apple had already skipped a number with the iPhone X, the last 10th anniversary device – from 9 to 10 (or X).
However, there are always oddities in iPhone naming. For example, there was never an iPhone 2, but a 3G instead. The iPhone 3G was followed by the 3GS. Apple jumped from the iPhone X to the iPhone XS (plus XS Max) and the XS was only followed by the iPhone 11. So you can't say that Apple still seems to be following a real strategy here. The best example here comes from the Mac sector: there is still a MacBook Pro M4 Pro, i.e. with two "Pros". One stands for the device line, the other for the professor used.
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