Apple introduced iOS 26 at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, but it surely stated on the time it might launch the replace to most people this fall. So I checked out past Apple events in September and earlier iOS releases to foretell when the corporate would launch iOS 26.
And I used to be proper. Apple announced that iOS 26 shall be launched as a free replace Monday. Apple normally releases updates round 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET), so which means your iPhone can get new options like a Liquid Glass design, call screening and new ringtones in just a few hours.
Do not forget, different individuals shall be downloading the replace as effectively, so it would obtain slowly for you. The corporate introduced the software program replace’s launch on Sept. 9, when it showcased the brand new iPhone 17, 17 Pro and the skinny iPhone Air.
Here is how I predicted iOS 26’s launch date earlier than Apple even introduced it.
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iOS 26 will introduce a brand new Liquid Glass design to your iPhone.
Apple held its “awe-dropping” occasion on Tuesday, Sept. 9, the day I predicted it might. Previously 10 years, Apple has solely held its September occasion between Sept. 7 and 14, normally on Tuesday (six occasions), with just a few Wednesdays (thrice) and one Monday.
We do not normally have to attend lengthy after Apple’s September occasion for iOS updates to be launched.
How did I appropriately predict the iOS 26 launch?
Apple would not normally announce the discharge of iOS variations, but it surely does stick near a script from yr to yr. Which means you, too, can carry out acts of Apple divination, in the event you perceive the historical past of its fall occasions and iOS releases.
Apple ran its “awe-dropping” occasion on Tuesday, Sept. 9, the identical day I predicted the corporate would. After most of Apple’s September occasions, the corporate releases the following iOS inside every week. In 2024, for instance, Apple’s event was held on Sept. 9 and iOS 18 was launched seven days later, on Sept. 16. In 2023, Apple’s event was held on Sept. 12, and it launched iOS 17 six days later, on Sept. 18.
There’s solely been one yr up to now decade the place it took longer than every week for Apple to launch the following iOS model — 2019. Even then, Apple nonetheless launched the following iOS model 9 days after its September occasion.
The variety of days between Apple’s September occasion and the discharge of the following iOS model has additionally trended — barely — downward up to now decade. In 2015, Apple launched iOS 9 on Sept. 16, seven days after the corporate’s September occasion, and in 2022 Apple launched iOS 16 on Sept. 12, 5 days after the corporate’s Sept. 7 occasion.
In that very same timeframe, Apple launched six iOS variations inside every week of the occasion. So the mathematics pointed me to iOS 26 popping out six or seven days after its Sept. 9 occasion.
Apple additionally launched the previous 4 iOS variations on the Monday following its September occasions. So this might be the brand new norm and Apple will launch all future iOS variations on the Monday after its September occasion. So it is probably that Apple will launch iOS 26 on a Monday.
Nice, so when will Apple launch iOS 26 once more?
Perhaps that clarification takes a few of the mystique out of my prediction, however that is how I got here up with Monday, Sept. 15 because the iOS 26 launch date. Apple confirmed it shortly after its “awe dropping” occasion on Sept. 9.
For extra on iOS 26, this is my review of the update, learn how to allow call screening within the beta and all of the new features Apple stated it can carry to your gadget later this yr. You may as well take a look at our iOS 26 cheat sheet.
Watch this: The iPhone 17 Is Right here! Prime Editors React to Apple’s Awe Dropping Occasion
