Apple is perhaps about to borrow its OS naming scheme from Home windows 95

In a brand new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, it has come to mild that Apple is gearing as much as rebrand its whole portfolio of working techniques, which incorporates iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS for the iPhone, the iPad, the Mac, the Apple TV, the Apple Watch, and the Imaginative and prescient Professional, respectively.

“Apple will announce its largest ever software program rebrand at WWDC, tied to working system redesigns. Apple is shifting from model numbers to years (like Home windows within the 90s). The brand new OSs: iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, visionOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26,” says Gurman on X.

At present, Apple operates on a yearly replace cadence, with every year’s massive characteristic launch demarcated by a brand new complete quantity. All year long, the corporate releases smaller .x updates stuffed with smaller tweaks, bug fixes, and safety patches.

As a direct results of the staggered conception of every of Apple’s working techniques, the established order has been one in all inconsistently numbered releases every yr. For instance, 2024 saw the simultaneous reveal of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, but in addition macOS 15, watchOS 11, and VisionOS 2.

By pivoting over to a single quantity that displays the OS’s yr of launch, Apple would successfully consolidate its diverse range of operating systems underneath an overarching umbrella. I reckon this might make life simpler for the end-user, as it will take the guess out of realizing whether or not you are on the most recent OS replace or not.

Apple’s OSs are about to get glassier

A unified design language to match a unified naming scheme

Entrance Web page Tech / Pocket-lint

Apple’s reported working system rebrand is massive information, however it’s just one a part of this yr’s software program puzzle. By adopting a unified visionOS-style software program aesthetic in its subsequent batch of OS releases, the corporate will have the ability to supply a much more constant expertise throughout its platforms as an entire.

This redesign, rumored to be code-named Solarium, is extensively anticipated to characteristic elevated depth parts, glassier UI elements, and different new visible prospers. The web is stuffed with mock-ups by idea artists, and I am personally a fan of the look in its conceptual type (I’ve combined emotions concerning the round icons, although).

Fortunately, we cannot have to attend for much longer for the official reveal of Apple’s subsequent main OS updates — the corporate’s software program and developer-focused WWDC25 conference is set to take place from June 9 by 13. Greater than the rest, I am personally excited concerning the launch of the subsequent model of iPadOS — whether or not it’s referred to as iPadOS 19 or iPadOS 26 — squarely due to the rumored enhancements to Stage Supervisor’s window administration system (via 9to5Mac).

Associated

iOS 19 could redefine Apple’s iPhone experience with major design changes

A brand new report says that Apple is planning a serious design overhaul for iOS 19.