Apple's update calendar: when to expect the next versions
Apple is known to love recurring patterns. A look at the last few years gives an idea of how things could continue for iOS 26, macOS 26 & Co.
(Image: Apple)
After the update is before the update: Apple has already sent the x.1 versions of iOS 26, macOS 26 and the other Apple operating systems into beta testing for developers. The iPhone manufacturer is thus apparently following the update pattern of previous years. And, as an analysis has now revealed, this allows conclusions to be drawn about the months in which further updates can be expected. This has not always been the case: Mac updates have long been released later than new versions for iPhone and iPad.
The Mac blog "The Eclectig Light Company" took a closer look at the release dates of macOS versions in 2023 and 2024. macOS 14 "Sonoma" and macOS 15 "Sequoia" showed clear parallels in the release dates, which now seem to continue in macOS 26 "Tahoe" with the release date in September and the release of the first developer beta for macOS 26.1.
macOS 26.1 on 27 October?
If things go according to Apple's previous pattern, the release of the finished macOS version 26.1 could be expected on October 27. Version 26.2 could then follow on 15 December. In the new year, 26 January 2026 (macOS 26.3), 30 March 2026 (26.4), 11 May 2026 (26.5), 27 July 2026 (26.6) and 14 September 2026 (26.7) are hot candidates. Experience shows that release candidates for point releases usually appear a week before the final version.
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As macOS is now on a similar timeline to iOS, iOS 26.1, iOS 26.2 & Co. can also be expected in the aforementioned time windows, i.e. at the end of October and shortly before Christmas, in mid-December. A special feature of iOS is that smaller updates that address current security issues, such as iOS 26.0.1, are released more frequently between the major versions. It remains unclear how the iPhone releases expected in the rumor mill in spring 2026 will affect the update dates.
(mki)
