In a last-minute shocker of a report, it emerged final week that WWDC 2025 will see Apple rename all of its working techniques. As an alternative of getting numbers based mostly on the annual variations (like iOS 18 or watchOS 11) or arbitrary variations (like iPadOS 18 or macOS 15), they’ll now merely all be named after the yr. The yr when they’re principally in circulation, technically, fairly than the one after they launch… however let’s take the wins the place we are able to.
In different phrases, final yr’s iOS 18 might be adopted by this yr’s iOS 26, watchOS 11 might be adopted by watchOS 26, and visionOS 2 might be adopted by visionOS 26. This may all appear a bit disorienting at first, but it surely does make sense when you detach your pondering from the concept every part signifies (or lies about) the age in years of a given platform. No person thought Home windows 95 was the ninety fifth model of Home windows, or that Home windows got here out within the yr 1900. We have been used to it as soon as; we’ll get used to it once more.
And it is a good factor. I’d submit that the typical iPhone proprietor doesn’t pore over the newest iOS launch notes and that many could be unable to let you know which model of iOS they’re presently working. If that fictional everyman checked Settings and realized that it was 18.5, I additional submit that they might doubtless not know if this was a brand new or previous model, and whether or not or not it was a matter of urgency to replace. However iOS 26 is fairly self-explanatory. It isn’t simply an in-house designator for the engineering division at Apple Park; it’s a helpful piece of data for the person.
So why not take the thought additional? If year-based branding is smart totally free software program releases (and keep in mind that Apple as soon as named editions of iLife and iWork as ’04, ’05, and so forth), then it makes much more sense for expensive {hardware} purchases the place info is at a premium. I’ve usually spoken to potential consumers who’re confused by the variations between the iPhone 14 Professional and the iPhone 15 Plus, or how the SE suits in with the remainder of the generations. Why not assist them out by providing an iPhone 26 (or ’26, maybe), within the type of a 1978 Ford Fiesta? That means, clients know what they’re getting and have a greater probability of precisely evaluating the completely different choices. It could additionally make it tougher for unscrupulous resellers to indicate that previous inventory is extra up-to-date than it truly is.
Positive, iPhone ’26 appears to be like like an odd model identify in isolation, and the social media jokers may have loads of enjoyable at its expense. Nevertheless it’s not like iPhone 17 is significantly better. I can’t think about that Apple’s advertising and marketing group again in 2007 (or maybe we should always say 2010, provided that the iPhone 4 was the primary mannequin named after its era quantity) thought the corporate wouldn’t have give you a greater naming conference all these years later. Individuals within the tech press used to joke about merchandise of the longer term, and bandy about phrases like Xbox 19 and PlayStation 23 because the silliest factor conceivable. It’s frankly ludicrous that there’s an iPhone 16 in actual life, and can quickly be adopted by, we’re fairly certain, an iPhone 17.
Now that we’ve agreed the iPhone’s model quantity could be changed by its yr, there are lots extra tweaks we are able to make to the branding. Plus, Max, mini: these are imprecise and considerably deceptive phrases that principally discuss with dimension however cowl different components too. So if we imply dimension, we’ll make that fully clear. I’ll take the iPhone ’26, please. Wonderful. Would you want that within the 6- or 7-inch dimension? If it’s ok for the MacBook, it’s ok for the iPhone. (And the iPad, too, for that matter. Now that is a preposterously complicated set of descriptors.)
I’ll make an exception, nonetheless, for the upcoming iPhone Slim… offered it is known as that and never iPhone Air. Slim is a useful and simply understandable time period; Air is obscure. And the iPhone Slim isn’t going to be merely thinner than a normal mannequin–it’s going to include quite a few compromises. It’s a separate product and deserves its personal branding.
Lastly, that leaves the manufacturers that discuss with energy and/or function set. Professional, on the highest finish, and “e” on the underside. The query is, are these useful to the client, are they for the advantage of the marketeer, or are they complicated for everybody? I’d say a mix of the second and third choices.
If I had my means this is able to change to the iPhone ’26 Price range, Commonplace, and Deluxe, which everybody would perceive. However I can see why Tim Cook dinner in all probability wouldn’t go for that: Price range sounds dangerous, Commonplace sounds boring, and Deluxe is only a bit, effectively, naff. Now we have to permit Apple a bit of room for advertising and marketing magic, in spite of everything, and Professional does no less than have the benefit of long-term utilization. So we’ll maintain Professional and ditch the cryptic “e” fully. The 16e was, so far as I can see, created totally so Apple might promote a finances telephone that helps Apple Intelligence. Now that hurdle has been cleared, finances clients can merely purchase a mannequin from a earlier yr.
So right here’s our last vary. I believe it has the benefits of being each simple to grasp and simple to market.
- iPhone ’26
- iPhone ’26 Professional (in two sizes, just like the MacBook)
- iPhone ’26 Slim
Agree? Disagree? Solutions to the Apple advertising and marketing division.
Foundry
Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which incorporates all of the Apple information you missed final week in a useful bite-sized roundup. We name it Apple Breakfast as a result of we expect it goes nice with a Monday morning cup of espresso or tea, but it surely’s cool if you wish to give it a learn throughout lunch or dinner hours too.
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30 years in the past, Apple followers met the Mac clone. That is the bizarre, wild story.
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AirPods Professional 3: 7 options that may take Apple’s finest buds to the following stage.
Tim Cook dinner’s yr is doomed and it’s not even June but, says the Macalope.
Filipe Esposito took a journey again to iOS 6 to arrange for WWDC.
WhatsApp is lastly out there for iPad (and we imply lastly).
Podcast of the week
The iPhone is Apple’s dominant platform, and by an extraordinarily large margin. We speak in regards to the state of the iPhone and iOS, the place it’s at and what we are able to count on within the close to future. It’s all in episode 936 of the Macworld Podcast.
You may catch each episode of the Macworld Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Soundcloud, the Podcasts app, or our personal web site.
Opinions nook
The rumor mill
Will new Apple {hardware} steal iOS 26’s thunder at WWDC 2025?
Report: WWDC interface overhaul might be ‘extra broadly felt’ than iOS 7.
Apple’s Luxo Jr.-like tabletop robotic has reportedly been fast-tracked for launch.
Apple is reportedly dropping assist for almost each Intel Mac this yr.
Software program updates, bugs, and issues
Apple is reportedly skipping iOS 19 and leaping straight to iOS 26.
iOS 19 will reportedly embrace a devoted gaming app.
Apple simply launched a new Logic Professional function that data even should you neglect.
And with that, we’re completed for this week’s Apple Breakfast. If you happen to’d prefer to get common roundups, join our newsletters, together with our new e mail from The Macalope–an irreverent, humorous tackle the newest information and rumors from a half-man, half-mythical Mac beast. You can even observe us on Fb, Threads, Bluesky, or X for dialogue of breaking Apple information tales. See you subsequent Monday, and keep Appley.
