Apple is set to overhaul its operating system branding across all platforms at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in 2025. Moving away from sequential version numbers, the company will adopt year-based version labels, marking each software release with the following year. For example, iOS 18 will become ´iOS 26´, and other OS products like iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS will follow suit, all getting the ´26´ designation for their fall 2025 versions. Apple emphasizes that this system aims to mirror its typical fall release schedule, creating clearer, more uniform recognition for users and developers regarding operating system updates on different devices.
Alongside the revamped naming scheme, Apple intends to introduce a redesigned user interface, codenamed ´Solarium.´ This refreshed look will be consistent across all platforms, featuring a brighter color palette and harmonized layout elements. The goal is to create a smoother and more familiar transition for users as they move between devices like iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Apple expects that by unifying the user experience visually and through versioning, its ecosystem will feel even more tightly integrated and simpler to navigate.
This software update will also bring an array of new features to the Apple device lineup. Highlights include a battery optimization mode driven by Artificial Intelligence, an intelligent health assistant, real-time translation for AirPods, and enhanced input tools such as a bidirectional Arabic-English keyboard and a digital calligraphy utility for Apple Pencil. Apple´s approach echoes strategies used by Samsung and Microsoft, with Samsung naming its Galaxy S series for the release year and Microsoft previously adopting year-based branding for Windows 95 and 98. However, Apple distinguishes itself by naming its software after the forthcoming calendar year, similar to automotive industry practices for new models, suggesting subsequent releases such as ´27´ could follow in future years.
