Apple may rebrand to iOS 26 with the upcoming version – here's why that's a big deal

In an unexpected move, Apple is reportedly planning to rebrand its operating system names. The new operating systems will be identified by years rather than by generation number. This is said to be part of a software overhaul that will extend to all Apple devices, including iPads and Macs. However, the new naming scheme could be confusing for long-term Apple users.

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According to a report from Bloomberg, “the current iOS 18 will give way to iOS 26… Other updates will be known as iPadOS 26, MacOS 26, WatchOS 26, tvOS 26, and VisionOS 26.” Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggests that Apple is making this change to bring consistency to its branding and “move away from an approach that can be confusing to customers and developers.”

As of now, Apple’s operating systems are based on version numbers, like iOS 18, MacOS 15, WatchOS 12, and VisionOS 2, with numbers varying depending on when the software initially launched. The new branding could pave the way for a more clear-cut naming scheme where all versions will be aligned by year. Samsung had a similar approach with its Galaxy S lineup, where the Galaxy S10, released in 2019, was succeeded by the Galaxy S20 in 2020.

However, Apple’s approach isn’t exactly the same. Instead of naming its operating systems by the year of release, Apple will name them by the following year. So, you can expect iOS 26, MacOS 26, WatchOS 26, and VisionOS 26 for 2025, much like how car companies market their vehicles.

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This approach could be confusing for long-term Apple users because the change is twofold. Switching from version number to year of release would be easier to understand, like the Samsung Galaxy S24 (2024) and Galaxy S25 (2025).

However, Apple’s reported approach is in line with its previous efforts of naming products by the year. As Mark Gurman pointed out, the company released iWork ’08 and iLife ’08 in August 2007, followed by iLife ’11 in October 2010.

The consistent OS names will also be in line with the expected visual overhaul across Apple devices. According to previous reports, WWDC 2025 could debut a new operating system-wide appearance  — from the iPhone to the Vision Pro, and it’s codenamed Solarium. The visual change is expected to “go well beyond a new design language and aesthetic tweaks,” says Bloomberg.

Also: What is Solarium? Everything we know about Apple’s biggest UI overhaul in a decade

The consistent navigation, look, and standardized menus could strengthen Apple’s ecosystem. It’ll be easier and more burdenless for people to operate across Apple’s hardware platforms — tapping a “share” or “settings” icon could look and behave nearly identically. 

I hope Apple adopts the reported naming convention across its hardware in the future. “iPad Air 2026” and “iPad Pro 2026” would offer more clarity to the average consumer who might not know which is the latest Apple processor to make a purchase decision. 

Similarly,” MacBook Air 2026″ and “MacBook Pro 2026” would be more consistent and easier to understand than “MacBook Air M4” and “MacBook Pro M4 Pro.” Apple currently markets its latest MacBooks as just MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, but with multiple previous-generation models still on sale, you need to look at the processor to figure out the latest generation. A year-based naming convention might be more helpful in this regard.