Apple iOS, macOS to adopt simplified year-based branding at WWDC

The big picture: Apple is preparing sweeping changes to its software and services, including its operating systems. The company appears set on simplifying its platforms even further – continuing a trend that critics say caters more to mass-market ease than to users seeking depth or control. Apple is introducing a new naming scheme for its operating systems. Bloomberg sources claim that upcoming versions of iOS, macOS, and iPadOS will drop the traditional version numbers. The change – expected to be announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9 – will also apply to watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS. Apple is bumping the eagerly awaited iOS 19 to iOS 26, adopting a year-based naming scheme that reflects the year the software is active rather than its launch date. All other platforms will follow the same pattern for consistency – macOS 16 becomes macOS 26, watchOS 10 becomes watchOS 26, and so on. This change makes system software versions uniform, simplifying the understanding o ... Read full article.