One of many larger leaks from Bloomberg is that what we’ve all been anticipating as iOS 19 will as an alternative be branded as iOS 26 (aka 2026).
In different phrases, Apple is switching from sequential naming to year-based naming. I believe that’s an amazing thought – however not the foolish car-maker enterprise of utilizing subsequent 12 months, for a really sensible purpose …
Some commenters weren’t overly enthusiastic concerning the change:
“Apple’s ensh*tification to 90s Microsoft is full with its adoption of 12 months title merchandise.”
“The primary of April has handed some time.”
“Assist articles will probably be a multitude with this naming, for starters. This could by no means occur in the event you ask me.”
However the majority appear to be in favor, and I’m positively amongst them – and the largest purpose is that it unifies the OS replace numbers throughout merchandise. The present iOS 18, watchOS 12, macOS 15, tvOS 18, and visionOS 2 is only a mess.
iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 is simply objectively higher.
In fact, the pedant in me objects to the 26 as an alternative of 25. Even on precept, I’d quite Apple didn’t play the identical foolish recreation as automotive producers: it’s not like we’re going to purchase an Android telephone as an alternative as a result of it has a later model quantity.
Usually I’d take into account {that a} minor quibble on my half, however it’s not, for a purpose I’ll get to in a second.
Some are suggesting Apple ought to do the identical with iPhone numbers too, so this 12 months’s line-up could be the iPhone 26 as an alternative of the iPhone 17. Whereas there’s a logic to this, I don’t agree for one easy purpose: iPhone names are simply beginning to really feel more and more foolish because the numbers get larger.
Will we find yourself with an iPhone 53? An iPhone 104? Switching from the present sequential(ish) numbering to years simply accelerates this downside.
A greater method, for my part, is to drop the quantity altogether, bringing the iPhone in keeping with different Apple merchandise. Have the present mannequin be simply the iPhone (iPhone, iPhone Air, iPhone Professional, iPhone Extremely) and the earlier mannequin be the iPhone (12 months).
Nonetheless, that brings me again to my downside with the automotive numbering factor. If Apple launches iOS 26 in 2025, then even when it solely makes use of the title internally, this 12 months’s iPhone turns into the iPhone (2026). And my thought of utilizing 12 months identifiers falls aside.
If Apple launches an iPhone in 2025, and simply calls it the iPhone however internally it’s iPhone (2026), then final 12 months’s mannequin turns into the iPhone (2025). So for three-and-a-bit months, we’d have the iPhone and the iPhone (2025) on Apple’s web site – and the latter could be the older mannequin!
So I’d like Apple to maintain it actual. Launch iOS 25 in 2025. Launch the brand new iPhone in 2025, and simply name it iPhone, whereas holding final 12 months’s mannequin on sale because the iPhone (2024).
Who’s with me? Please share your ideas within the feedback.
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