Apple's Naming Games Are Back! (iOS 26 & iPhone 17?)

Just when we thought the internet had moved past obsessing over Apple's naming schemes... surprise! We're right back in the trenches.

Why Year-Based iOS Names Might Actually Work

Honestly? I don’t hate today’s rumor about Apple switching iOS to year-based naming. Cars do it. Samsung does it. Sure, jumping straight to iOS 26 while skipping versions feels odd now, but we’ll adjust—we swallowed "iPhone 13" just fine, after all.

The Real Headache: Software & Hardware Collision

Here’s where things get messy: iOS 26 running on an iPhone 17? That already sounds off. Fast-forward a few years, and that mismatch could feel downright jarring. It highlights a growing inconsistency in Apple’s branding.

A Golden Chance to Simplify

With rumors swirling about replacing "Plus" with "Air" models, why not rethink the whole lineup? Ditch "Pro Max" and go all-in on "iPhone Ultra"—it fits perfectly with Apple’s existing ecosystem (Watch Ultra, M-series Ultra chips, CarPlay Ultra).

When iPhone first hit double digits (12, 13...), I expected Apple to eventually drop numbers altogether—maybe embrace Mac-style naming. Instead, we made peace with numbered iPhones. Life moved on...

...Until now. Imagine software labeled "2026 Edition" running on hardware called "iPhone 17"? Yeah, the weirdness is creeping back in. Cue the podcast rants.

What Apple Should Do (But Probably Won’t)

Realistically, only three paths exist:

1. Do nothing. (Most likely)
   Keep iPhone numbering as-is while iOS shifts to years. Awkward? Absolutely. Survivable? Unfortunately yes.

2. Force sync everything.
   Rebrand the next iPhone as "iPhone 26" to match iOS 26. Would it confuse people between September-December? Sure. But car buyers cope—so could we.

3. Full Reset (My Personal Pick)
   Kill the numbers. Period.
   Launch iPhone / iPhone Air / iPhone Pro / iPhone Ultra—with discreet year tags (iPhone Ultra [2026]). Clean? Yes. Likely? No. Why? Apple sells 3-4 iPhone generations simultaneously. Imagine stores stacked with iPhone (2024), iPhone (2025), and iPhone (2026)—a customer’s nightmare.

And Then There’s the iPhone 16e...

Apple just debuted a clearly entry-level phone—with a number. Does this mean future "iPhone E" models? Please, no. "Sixteeny" was cringe enough.

Whether Apple renames iPhones this year or never, shifting iOS to year-based versions guarantees another naming debate frenzy. And let’s be real—arguing about Apple’s branding choices is basically a fan ritual at this point.