Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Apple may be considering a change to the branding of its operating systems.
- Sources claim the company could start identifying operating systems by year instead of by version.
- The strategy seems to mimic the one Samsung used for the Galaxy S series.
It’s not uncommon for Android OEMs to take inspiration from Apple. At the same time, Apple is just as willing to take a good idea from the other side of the aisle. The latest example of this may come in the form of a shake-up to Apple’s operating systems.
According to Bloomberg, sources close to the matter say that Apple is considering changing the way it identifies its operating systems. Currently, the Cupertino-based firm identifies its operating systems by versions, like iOS 18. Instead of relying on version numbers, the company may start using years. So iOS 18 would be rebranded to iOS 26. Likewise, other current operating systems would be called iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26.
The sources say that Apple is considering this change to bring more consistency to its branding and simplify things for the consumer. This move would be understandable as currently the version numbers are kind of all over the place — iOS 18, watchOS 12, macOS 15, and visionOS 2.
If this strategy sounds familiar, it’s because this strategy is similar to the one Samsung used with the Galaxy S series. After the release of the Galaxy S10, Samsung opted to go by the year of release instead. So the successor to the Galaxy S10 was the Galaxy S20, which released in 2020.
There are a couple of differences between what Samsung did and what Apple is said to be considering. The first difference is that this rebrand applies to Apple’s software and not its hardware. Secondly, Apple is using the upcoming year instead of the year of release. So the new iPhone OS that would be released in 2026 would be known as iOS 27.
This news arrives shortly after it was discovered Apple could be following in the footsteps of Android OEMs in another way. A report claims that Apple is testing a 200MP main camera, something that plenty of Android devices have already adopted.
