Why Apple skipped iOS 19 and went straight to iOS 26 – the reason makes so much sense

Home / Features / Why Apple skipped iOS 19 and went straight to iOS 26 – the reason makes so much sense

If you’ve been keeping up with the latest Apple news, you’ve probably seen iOS 26 in the headlines. But hang on a second, weren’t the latest iPhones just on iOS 18? What happened to iOS 19 through to 25?

At WWDC 2025, Apple announced that it’s tweaking its iPhone software naming system going forwards. In fact, it’s part of a platform-wide update, meaning the same thing has happened with iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, and so on. But why exactly did this happen? Here’s everything you need to know.

Read more: iOS 26 is the latest iPhone update and it’s the biggest in years

Why Apple went straight to iOS 26

If you’ve seen anything about iOS 26, you’ll have noticed that the headline feature is a brand new design. This redesign has extended to iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS as well. Apple’s goal here is to create more unity and continuity between the platforms. While features might allow you to seamlessly switch between devices, the look of software will now also be seamless.

And in the spirit of bringing all devices together, Apple wanted to have one naming system for all its software. That’s why 2025 marked the transition from iOS 18 to iOS 26, skipping out software versions 19 through to 25. The same thing happened with iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and visionOS. It was an even bigger leap for some of those platforms, with visionOS going from version 2 to 26 overnight!

But why iOS 26 if we’re in the year 2025?

You know how many new cars opt for the year ahead in their model name? This typically happens once we pass the mid-point of the year, but can happen a bit earlier. The reason behind this is that most customers are going to see the new model in the year ahead.

The same thing applies to iOS. While Apple unveiled iOS 26 in June 2025 at WWDC 2025, it won’t be released to the public until September 2025 (most likely) alongside the launch of the next iPhone. That means iPhone users will use the latest version of iOS mostly in 2026, hence the new naming scheme.

Related: iOS 26 system requirements: will it run on your iPhone?

About

Connor is a writer for Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. He has been writing for around nine years now across the web and in print too. Connor has attended the biggest tech expos, including CES, MWC, and IFA – with contributions as a judge on panels at them. He's also been interviewed as a technology expert on TV and radio by national news outlets including France24. Connor has experience with most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech. Just like everyone else around here, he's a fan of gadgets of all sorts. Aside from writing, Connor is involved in the startup and venture capital scene, which puts him at the front of new and exciting tech - he is always on the lookout for innovative products.