Apple’s iOS 26 is expected to have a radical redesign, and it’s probably going to mark the beginning of an entirely new numbering system. Here’s everything that’s rumored to be in the update.
While the iOS 18 update focused largely on Apple Intelligence features, such as Image Playground, email summarization, and a new Clean Up tool in the Photos app, its successor is expected to take a noticeably different approach.
Rather than simply being an iterative upgrade, with a few new apps and capabilities added to the mix, the next generation of iOS might introduce a major visual overhaul. An entirely new version numbering system appears to be in the works as well.
Leakers, analysts, and even YouTubers have all chimed in with specific claims about the upcoming iPhone operating system over the past few months. Here’s what they’ve claimed so far.
iOS 26 instead of iOS 19?
According to a report from May 2025, Apple wants to make a significant change to how it numbers its operating system versions. The goal of the apparent endeavor is to simplify things and make it easier for users to know how recent their currently installed operating system really is.
Rather than having separate version numbers for iOS, macOS, and visionOS, which would be iOS 19, macOS 16, and vision OS 3, respectively, Apple will use just one version number for all of its platforms. The iPhone maker plans to implement an approach similar to that used by automakers, where the software version corresponds to a particular year.
Given that the new iOS update is expected to become available to the general public in September 2025, Apple has seemingly decided to name brand its operating systems as version “26.” This means that instead of iOS 19, we might see iOS 26, macOS 26, and so on. This is effectively what Microsoft did during the 1990s with Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows 2000.
Though the rumor itself seems far-fetched at first glance, AppleInsider was able to independently confirm the existence of Apple’s “26” version branding. People familiar with the matter have revealed the change is already visible within certain parts of Apple’s next-gen operating systems.
However, it appears as though Apple may be trying to hide the new numbering system with placeholder names such as iOS 19 and macOS 16, which have appeared alongside the version 26 branding.
This information was obtained by AppleInsider from people familiar with Apple’s next-gen operating systems. We also received details seemingly derived from a development-fused iPhone running an early build of “iOS 19.”
Design changes — iOS 26 may echo visionOS
In February 2024, rumors of a planned user interface change for Apple’s operating systems surfaced. At the time, it was expected that a new design would debut in either 2025 or 2026, but that it would not bear a significant resemblance to visionOS.
The same year, two separate reports suggested that a visionOS-style redesign would arrive with iOS 18. While these claims ultimately turned out to be incorrect, given that such a design change never materialized, a redesign might happen in 2025.
Two reports from a generally reliable source, in March 2025, said that Apple was working on a massive visual alteration with its next-gen operating systems. The claim was later reiterated in a May 2025 report, which added that “Solarium” was the project codename of the UI overhaul.
The key point of the move is to appeal to existing users, while still attracting new users down the road. The design change won’t be just about aesthetics, however, as rumors suggest the new UI is intended to make iOS faster to navigate, easier to learn, and simpler overall to use.
The approach is said to focus on consistency and unification. This ultimately means that users may experience similar interfaces, UI elements, and maybe even features when they use the same functions across different Apple devices and operating systems. We’ve even seen rumors about specific apps within the next generation of iOS.
Sketchy app mockups caused a stir between leakers
In January 2025, YouTuber Jon Prosser posted a video detailing some of the changes allegedly planned for the Camera app. He claimed he had seen the user interface of iOS 19, as it was largely known at the time. Prosser’s team supposedly “recreated” what they saw as the Camera application.
iOS 26 may feature rounded app icons, according to an April 2025 leak.
The YouTuber then resurfaced in March 2025, with additional claims of UI changes across the operating system. With a more well-rounded appearance, the interface was described as more “fluid,” with condensed settings that reveal themselves as you swipe away.
The mockups mainly suggested that simple light-reflective circles would be added to buttons, along with an elongated modal window UI, and that there would be mild stylistic cues or references to Apple’s Sports and Invites apps.
Looking back at the earlier Camera app leak, there are some similarities, but odd differences to visionOS. The Camera app screenshot shows something much closer to Apple Vision Pro’s UI, but lacks the light reflections on button edges.
Prosser claims engineers at Apple don’t fully understand how he had access to finished images, which serves as an indication of his confidence. There is plenty of room for doubt, however, as the YouTuber has a less-than-stellar track record.
The Camera app may get a new look with iOS 26.
Despite his initial success, being the first person to leak the AirTag design, many of Jon Prosser’s more recent claims have outright failed to materialize. For instance, he spoke of a rumored iPhone 4-style redesign for the iPhone 14, an Apple Watch with flat edges, and Steve Jobs edition Apple smart glasses, none of which ended up becoming a reality.
As for his iOS 19 mockups, another leaker dismissed them in March 2025, saying they were based on outdated on incomplete information. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said the images weren’t representative of reality. He added that they were likely “based on either very old builds or vague descriptions, missing key features.”
Prosser then shared another video in April 2025, which featured noticeably different Home Screen app icons. The YouTuber showed a more-rounded squircle that’s still not quite a circle. The video suggests apps with tabs will get more animations, and floating bars dubbed TabView. These mimic floating UI elements already present in iOS, but have lively animations like the Dynamic Island.
The April 2025 video also showed off a new search UI in iMessage that wasn’t featured in the original iOS 19 Camera leak. It is simply a floating pill-shaped button that sits at the bottom of the app. The supposed leak may have shown possible new icon shapes, but it really wasn’t much in addition to what was shown before. It likely means Prosser will continue to push back against Gurman and attempt to find something more significant to share.
Mockups are all the rage these days, as we also received a particularly dubious tip in January 2025 that said the Clock app would receive UI changes. We’ll have to wait and see what Apple unveils during WWDC in any case.
iOS 26 — Supported device rumors
With each update to an operating system, most of the time, some devices get left behind and can’t upgrade. This could be due to technical limitations or simply the lack of support for aging hardware.
The 2018 iPhone XS may not support iOS 26.
When it comes to iOS 26, previously referred to as iOS 19, a rumor claimed in December 2024 that support will continue to be extremely broad for the operating system.
The full list of alleged compatible iPhone models is:
- iPhone 17, 17 Air, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max (2025)
- iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max (2024)
- iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max (2023)
- iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, iPhone SE (3rd gen) (2022)
- iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max (2021)
- iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2nd gen) (2020)
- iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max (2019)
- iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR (2018)*
This list seemingly indicates that iOS 19 will be available on all devices that ran iOS 18. However, the venue that published the compatibility list isn’t always accurate, and an April 2025 rumor suggested that Apple would discontinue support for the iPhone XS and iPhone XR.
The more recent claim comes from a private social media account with a verifiable track record, so there’s a higher chance Apple will cut off support for its 2018 iPhones.
iPadOS 26, or iPadOS 19, as it was formerly called, will reportedly support the following iPad models, according to both the December 2024 and April 2025 rumors:
An April 2025 rumor, from a leaker with a poor track record suggested that the next generation of iPadOS may introduce a menu bar similar to the one found in macOS. While this particular idea is far-fetched, plenty of other claims have appeared about the features and apps we might see in iOS 26.
New Apple Games app, AI battery management, AirPods live translation, and more
According to a May 2025 report, Apple will introduce a dedicated game-related app during WWDC 2025. Supposedly, Apple wants to sell gamers and developers on the idea that it is a leader in the market with a new app. This claim aligns with a similar rumor from October 2024.
Apple is reportedly working on a new dedicated game app.
The new Apple Games app will reportedly act as a mesh between Apple’s disparate gaming systems. It is rumored to show editorial content about games, the App Store games page, Apple Arcade, leaderboards, and more. Mac users may also get an app which would tie to games downloaded outside of the App Store. This particular rumor likely applies to the game launching aspect of the app.
According to a separate May 2025 rumor, Apple is preparing to introduce a new Apple Intelligence feature with iOS 26. It’s said to be an update to the battery management system of iOS, which would work based on usage habits.
The proposed system will allegedly monitor the way that the user actually uses the iPhone, and use that as a basis for power management decisions. This can include making setting or configuration changes to conserve energy at certain times.
Siri is also expected to receive a chatbot-type Apple Intelligence upgrade, according to a November 2024 report. By Siri chatbot, the report said it would be a large language model (LLM)-based Siri, which would be able to handle more conversational features. Apple still has yet to deliver Siri’s personal context features, which were promised at WWDC 2024, and then delayed.
iOS 26 may use AI for battery-related enhancements.
The company’s iconic AirPods, meanwhile, are rumored to receive an entirely new feature that translates in-person conversations from one language to another. The rumored live translation capability will make it significantly easier for speakers of two different languages to communicate. According to a March 2025 report, it’s expected to debut with iOS 26.
In May 2025, a rumor suggested that there would be two changes related to the Apple Pencil, implemented to help users in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to write in Arabic. The first is the introduction of an advanced bi-directional keyboard, designed to switch between the right-to-left Arabic and the left-to-right English languages.
The second change entails a new virtual reed calligraphy pen for Apple Pencil users. It is probable that Apple’s take will offer a writing experience closer to how a Kamish reed pen is handled and used, versus any existing calligraphy pen already used in apps. These are all only rumored changes, though. Officially, Apple has unveiled only a few tidbits about its next-gen operating systems ahead of WWDC.
New Accessibility features, old Apple Home architecture getting discontinued
On May 13, Ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2025, Apple unveiled a slew of new features coming to iOS. Though they are technically new software features, the enhancements themselves are intended for people with disabilities.
While Apple has announced new Accessibility features for iOS 26, the software will not support the older Apple Home architecture.
The new features include:
- Accessibility Nutrition Labels on the App Store
- Magnifier for Mac
- Braille Access
- Accessibility Reader
- Live captions on Apple Watch
- Live Recognition in Apple Vision Pro
Apple says that it is also updating:
- Eye Tracking on iPhone and iPad
- Head Tracking to control devices with head movements
- Switch Control for Brain Computer Interfaces
- Assistive Access for the Apple TV app
- Customizable Music Haptics on iPhone
- Sound Recognition gains Name Recognition
- Voice Control for Xcode
- New languages in Live Captions
- Large Text in CarPlay
Alongside all of these new and updated features, Apple says it is adding an option called Share Accessibility Settings. It’s intended so that users can quickly share their settings when borrowing someone else’s device.
On May 12, a day before the company revealed its new software features, Apple also explained that it would be discontinuing support for the old Apple Home architecture in 2025, which lines up with the release of iOS 26.
Potential release date
The release of the newest versions of its operating systems tends to happen in the fall, as it has been for years. This is to coincide with the latest hardware releases at that time, which this year includes the iPhone 17 range.
However, that won’t be the first time anyone will be aware of iOS 26 itself. Apple introduces its operating systems months in advance of release so that developers can take advantage of function changes and other alterations. This also lets developers and testers see if any of the changes they hoped for actually made into the OS.
Developer betas typically get tested repeatedly with regular builds up until the eventual public release. Apple usually introduces the fall operating system releases during WWDC, and we will get our first glimpse of iOS 26 (or iOS 19) on June 9.
