Apple set for massive OS redesign, skipping to iOS 26 at WWDC

Apple is getting ready to reveal a major redesign of all its main operating systems at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 9.

From iOS and iPadOS to macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, the company is reportedly introducing a unified visual overhaul that will bring a more cohesive and modern look across devices.

In a surprising move, Apple is also expected to skip iOS 19 entirely and jump directly to iOS 26, aligning version numbers with the upcoming year as part of a new naming strategy.

A new era

Breaking with tradition, Apple will forego “iOS 19” entirely, choosing instead to align its mobile operating system version number with the coming year.

The next iteration will be named iOS 26, part of a broader branding change that will also impact macOS, watchOS, and more. Sources close to Apple suggest the move is aimed at bringing coherence to the ecosystem, aligning updates with calendar years and simplifying understanding for consumers and developers alike.

This isn’t the first time a tech company has explored year-based naming conventions—Microsoft’s Windows 95 and 98, or Android’s version resets, offer clear precedents. However, Apple’s decision to leap from iOS 18 to iOS 26 may reflect a longer-term commitment to more intuitive, calendar-aligned software versioning.

Interestingly, some users on X have speculated that this shift may have been influenced by new hires at Apple who previously worked at Microsoft and brought the idea forward.

Solarium: Apple’s visionOS-inspired design language

At the heart of the upcoming redesign lies a fresh, internally codenamed design system: Solarium.

Drawing inspiration from visionOS, the operating system that powers Apple Vision Pro, Solarium promises a visually fluid, immersive experience across platforms.

Key elements include:

Dynamic iconography and subtle motion effects

Layered transparency to create spatial depth

Floating navigation bars and rounded UI components

A refined haptic response system to support more tactile interaction

Rather than reinventing the wheel, Apple appears focused on harmonising the user experience across devices, offering users a more familiar and fluid transition between iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.

Core app refresh

While system-level design changes are the headline, Apple is also giving some of its staple apps a major lift.

The Camera, Messages, and Photos apps are rumoured to receive notable functionality and interface enhancements, potentially adding new AI-assisted tools, improved search experiences, and streamlined layouts to elevate usability.

These changes are expected to be not only aesthetic but also deeply performance-focused, ensuring the updates complement Apple’s underlying silicon capabilities, including the upcoming A19 and M5 chip lines.

WWDC 2025

Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote will be streamed live from Apple Park, USA, and is set to be a defining moment for the company.

With global anticipation high, the event is also expected to include major announcements around generative AI integration into Siri, system apps, and developer tools, a space where Apple has been notably cautious but is now ready to enter decisively.

Time will tell if these updates bring major transformations or just minor tweaks.