
If Apple is looking to streamline naming, it could marque consciousness for aboriginal iPhone models to travel the aforesaid year-based numbering. An iPhone 26 oregon iPhone 26 Pro that launches with iOS 26 would beryllium much logical than an iPhone 17 that runs iOS 26, astatine slightest until that iPhone 26 needs to beryllium updated to iOS 27 oregon iOS 28.
Year-based numbering for iPhones would marque it wide to consumers erstwhile an iPhone came out. The mean iPhone idiosyncratic that doesn't upgrade connected the regular astir apt can't archer you the twelvemonth that their iPhone launched, due to the fact that there's nary evident nexus betwixt the iPhone 14 and 2022, oregon the iPhone 16 and 2024.
Apple whitethorn already person a naming conundrum successful the works wherever immoderate benignant of modulation volition marque sense. This year, we're connected way to get the iPhone 17. In 2026, the iPhone 18, and successful 2027, the iPhone 19. But 2027 is the 20th day of the iPhone, truthful volition Apple privation its 20th day instrumentality to beryllium the iPhone 19? Apple didn't marque that prime successful 2017 astatine the iPhone's 10th anniversary, and we ne'er ended up with a iPhone 9 due to the fact that we got the iPhone X instead.
Apple uses year-based numbering for its Macs, though not overtly. The MacBook Air is conscionable the MacBook Air, but erstwhile you're looking for tech specs oregon examination info connected Apple's site, you'll find that the latest exemplary is successful fact the MacBook Air (M4, 2025). iPhones could besides conscionable beryllium "iPhone" and appended successful the aforesaid way.
There is simply a disconnect successful Mac naming and the mode Apple is doing bundle update naming going forward, though. Macs are named for the twelvemonth they're released, but iOS and its sister updates are going to beryllium named for the coming twelvemonth connected launch. iOS 26 successful September 2025, iOS 27 successful September 2026, iOS 28 successful September 2027, and truthful on. Mac-like numbering for the iPhone would beryllium the sensible prime alternatively of the year-ahead numbering, but it's doubtful that Apple volition privation to motorboat an iPhone (2025) moving iOS 26.
Apple could besides spell with iPad numbering for the iPhone successful the future. iPads aren't named similar iPhones, and person historically utilized generations. The low-cost iPad, for example, was the iPad (5th generation) and past (6th generation) and (7th generation) and truthful on. More recently, Apple is utilizing chips to differentiate betwixt antithetic generations of the iPad. So there's the M2 iPad Air, and the M3 iPad Air, on with the A16 iPad (11th generation) and the A17 Pro iPad mini. Chip-based naming astir apt won't enactment for the iPhone similar it does for the iPad and immoderate Macs due to the fact that determination are aggregate iPhones that usage the aforesaid chip. Apple would request to bash thing similar iPhone (A19), iPhone Air (A19), iPhone Pro (A19), and iPhone Pro Max (A19), which is nary amended for marketing.
Apple mightiness not alteration iPhone numbering astatine all, fixed that naming crossed iPads, Macs, iPhones, and different devices has ne'er precisely been straightforward. Whether Apple intends to streamline instrumentality names going guardant whitethorn go clearer astatine the June 9 Worldwide Developers Conference. We'll perceive astir the program to spell from iOS 18 to iOS 26 astatine the keynote event, and the mode that Apple frames it mightiness conscionable supply immoderate penetration into whether we tin expect a akin alteration for the iPhone to match.
This article, "With iOS 18 Jumping to iOS 26, Will Apple Renumber iPhones Too?" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com
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