Friday, June 6, 2025

Ought to iPhones observe iOS into year-based naming? The case for iPhone 26

In a single day, the somewhat stunning information broke out that Apple will go towards custom and never name its subsequent replace iOS 19, appropriately, however somewhat go together with an annual denominator and name it iOS 26. A peculiar and startling at first, this rumor turns into increasingly plausible the extra you consider it. 

Earlier iOS variations did an excellent job of indicating the logical order of iOS variations, however that was solely enough till a sure threshold. As we’re nearing 20 years of the iPhone and iOS in extension, the iOS naming scheme turns into a bit too convoluted and sophisticated. How are we alleged to keep in mind that iOS 15 launched in 2021? No approach of understanding that when you’re a daily individual and do not depend on the standard Google crutch. 

There must be a greater technique to point out what iOS model launched in a selected yr, and the simplest one is to make use of the final two digits, similar to most car producers do to point that they’ve new fashions rolling down the conveyor belts. This fashion, in a decade from now, you would not must calculate what iOS model acquired launched in, say, 2027––you’d instantly understand it ought to have been iOS 27. 

It is easy, however super-effective.

It is so efficient {that a} pretty dim lightbulb went off in my head. Should not Apple apply an identical naming change to its iPhones as nicely?

The iPhone naming drawback

At the moment, issues are fairly stable on the iPhone lineup: we predict the iPhone 17 vary, which might occur to be the seventeenth distinct iPhone technology. That naming is okay as we have largely grown accustomed to it with time, however as iPhone generations continue to grow in numbers with every passing yr, it is going to inevitably grow to be comparatively cumbersome to observe which iPhone is pretty new and which one’s already an older one. 
That’d largely be true for customers out of the loop and out of doors the techy circles. Even when you wake me up on the wee hours of the night time, I will have the ability to let you know that the iPhone 13 was launched in 2021 as a result of I purchased one again then, however something newer or older than that can have me scratching my reminiscences for a second or so, calculating years and generations in my head. 

Now think about an individual who does not actually pay that a lot consideration to cellular know-how: they’d be just about misplaced with out . 

A attainable answer? Merely undertake the upcoming iOS naming conference. 

Digits or…

If Apple desires to maintain issues tidy and logical any longer, the iPhone 17 technology would not exist. 

In its stead, we would get the iPhone 26 vary, which will likely be Apple’s flagship via nearly all of 2026. Subsequent yr, we would get the iPhone 27, which might be the flagship for 2027. I do know, it is not fairly, and appears like a fairly drastic change to simply about anybody who has been following Apple and the iPhone for years now, however on the finish of the day, the professionals of this title change outweigh the illusionary cons.

If Apple does that, then we would have a way more logical and simple to observe iPhone naming going ahead. This might additionally make issues simpler for the second-hand market, as discerning between older and newer gadgets might be barely simpler and extra logical. However Apple is not actually involved concerning the second-hand iPhone market which is gnawing at its income, so the change might solely be helpful to common prospects.

… expressive names?

Who is aware of, after sunsetting the iPhone Plus title in favor of the iPhone Air one, which might go magnificently nicely with its thinner physique, Apple might lastly go forward and finish the “Professional Max” lineage in favor of a extra coherent “Extremely” one. So, as an alternative of an iPhone Professional Max, we would get an iPhone Extremely, which at this level has been a long-time coming. 

However think about what would occur if Apple truly employs each adjustments, so this or subsequent yr we get an iPhone 26 Extremely or an iPhone 27 Extremely? Till yesterday, such an thought would have sounded out of the odd, however immediately, when iOS 26 is most actually taking place, there could be an opportunity. 

Ought to Apple change something in any respect?

However actually talking, ought to Apple change something in any respect?

The reply is not any. No matter you name them and no matter whether or not we prefer it or not, iPhones will promote like hotcakes. 

Nonetheless, seeing how Apple might be eager on shaking up such well-established traditions just like the sacred iOS naming scheme, we’d get handled to some intricately named gadgets within the following years. 

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