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Apple's Software Rebrand

Apple's Software Rebrand

this wasn't expected.

Brandon Butch
May 30, 2025 • 📖 Read time: 8 minutes

Welcome back! 🍎
Here’s the latest with Apple.

Apple’s software rebrand
iPhone redesigns incoming
& more!

📊 Poll

Last week, we asked: Would you buy Apple smart glasses?

Here were my favorite replies:

Yes - “Yes, provided they are reasonably priced and as comfortable as a regular pair of glasses. I think it’s important that they have the ability to have their lenses swapped out for those of us who wear prescription glasses. And also as a migraine sufferer who never had the chance to try out Google Glass or Apple Vision Pro, I would also like to add in the caveat that I hope they can mitigate anything the glasses might do that would trigger migraines, like how our iPhones and iPads have Night Shift.”

No - “I get the idea of integrating technology with every part of your life, but I feel like glasses are something you don't need. Especially if you have a prescription and get new glasses every few years or however long, it doesn't make sense. But for the average person, still no because you have a phone in your pocket that would do the exact same thing.”

This week: Are you a fan of Apple’s (expected) rebrand from iOS 19 to iOS 26? More on this below.

Do you like Apple's switch to iOS 26?

🗞️ The Latest

⚙️ Apple’s Software Rebrand

Apple is expected to announce a major rebrand to its operating systems at WWDC 2025 on June 9th. Here’s the intel.

Apple is skipping iOS 19 and jumping to iOS 26, aligning software names with the upcoming year rather than version numbers.
This change will apply across the board, so expect iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26 this September.
Apple is naming it “26” since the users will be using it more in 2026 than in 2025. It's the same logic applied by car makers, where cars released in late 2024 are labeled as 2025 models.
This would be Apple’s first software rebrand since iOS 4 in 2010, when iPhoneOS was rebranded to iOS.
The goal is to make versioning feel less outdated and more cohesive across the ecosystem.
This rebrand also sets the stage for a unified design language across all Apple platforms. Now those early rumors about a redesign seem more likely!

More iOS 26 Details

A new Apple job posting confirms that a Calendar revamp is in the works.
iOS 26 could make transferring an eSIM from iPhone to Android easier.
Apple recently acquired gaming studio RAC7 and plans to launch a standalone gaming app with iOS 26.
To go along with the cohesive naming scheme, Apple is expected to extend the iOS 26 design changes to the Apple TV and Apple Watch as well.

My take: I’m a big fan of this change, especially given how inconsistent Apple’s software versioning has become. We have iOS 18, watchOS 11, macOS 15, and visionOS 2. Those numbers are scattered and confusing.

If you asked random people on the street to name the latest versions of all of Apple’s operating systems, you’d be waiting a while before anyone got them all right.

But calling everything “26” makes it much easier for everyone to instantly recognize the latest software version, just like they do with cars, video games, and other software out there.

I’m also thinking that the iPhone 17 might not be called the iPhone 17 this year. Could we see a shift in Apple’s naming scheme for the iPhone like they do for the iPad and Mac? If so, we might be getting an iPhone (A19) or iPhone (2026).

📲 New iPhone Redesigns

The upcoming 2025 iPhone is not the only iPhone expected to receive noteworthy design changes - the next 3 iPhones will see some sort of redesign!

This year’s iPhone lineup is expected to see a redesign to the camera bump, along with the introduction of the new “Air” model.
It’s also rumored to get a 200mp main camera, like we’ve seen with the past two Samsung Galaxy flagship models.
After that, the 2026 iPhone is rumored to have a hole-punch cutout for the camera, with the Face ID sensors hidden under the screen.
And then in 2027, the iPhone will have a “comprehensive” redesign where the front of the iPhone will be all screen - no cutout. This means under-screen Face ID and front camera!

My take: Apple has never had a 3-year stretch of iPhone “redesigns,” so this would be a major surprise in the best way possible.

The iPhone feels stagnant at this point, so these design changes are necessary while we await the iPhone Fold, which is expected in the next couple of years. And thankfully without that dreaded crease.

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