Skip to main content

Forget about iOS 18. Apple has already started working on its next big iPhone update

A person demonstrating the new Siri revamped with Apple Intelligence at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.
Apple

When it comes to technology, everything is always in motion and evolving. One example of this is Apple’s iOS 19 software update. Yes, iOS 19. Even before iOS 18 is released to the public, it seems that Apple is already hard at work on the next version of iOS, which won’t even be announced until next June.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple developers are actively starting work on the 2025 operating systems for its most important products. Each already has an internal name. For example, the next version of iOS is called “Luck,” while macOS 16 is described as “Cheer.” “Nepali” is the name for watchOS 12, while “Discovery” concerns visionOS 3. No doubt, iPadOS 19 is also in the pipeline.

Recommended Videos

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Apple is already working on next year’s software. After all, as Gurman explains, Apple is also developing hardware products for next year. Therefore, it makes sense that the company is also developing the accompanying software for testing. Of course, it’s too early to determine what those new features will entail, although most will surely leak in the months ahead.

Back in the present day, third-party developers are testing the second iOS 18 beta version. In the coming days, public beta testers will almost certainly join in on the fun with the first iOS 18 public beta. The first official version of iOS 18 should be available in early September, close to the announcement of the upcoming iPhone 16 series.

Apple’s iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and other OS versions introduce many new features, starting with Apple Intelligence. The company’s initial foray into AI brings several promising new tools to enhance the device experience. These primarily include updates to writing capabilities, communication, image creation, Siri, and more. The iOS 18 update also includes more home page customization, a Control Center update, a tweaked Photos app, and more.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
Apple is about to stop selling multiple iPhones in Europe. Here’s why
The iPhone 14 Plus held in a man's hand.

The iPhone SE and iPhone 14 series will no longer be available for purchase in Europe at the end of the year. In an effort to make technology more consumer-friendly, the European Union ruled that any mobile device sold must be able to charge through USB-C, according to iGeneration. While more modern entries in Apple's lineup already meet those guidelines, the iPhone SE and iPhone 14 do not.

These aren't the newest additions to Apple's lineup, but the iPhone SE and the iPhone 14 series are still sold in Europe. These will be pulled from shelves as the deadline approaches. Customers have plenty of options, but this decision will leave the European market without an iPhone SE option until the next model releases in 2025.

Read more
Apple’s mysterious iPhone 17 Air is one step closer to becoming a reality
A render of the iPhone Air.

For months, rumors have indicated that Apple plans to remove the iPhone Plus from the 2025 iPhone 17 lineup, and replace it with an entirely new model that might be called the “iPhone 17 Air.” A new report suggests that this phone is now closer to becoming a reality.

According to Digitimes, the new phone has entered the initial stage of manufacturing, known as the new product introduction (NPI) phase. At this stage, Apple and its manufacturing partners finalize a blueprint for creating the phone. It's a significant step in the process.

Read more
Things still aren’t looking good for Apple’s iOS 19 update
iPhone 16 Pro Max in Desert Titanium.

The latest version of iOS 18.2 rolled out to (most) iPhone users yesterday, and it brought with it a slew of new features that fans have eagerly waited for. These include Visual Intelligence for iPhone 16, Genmoji, and Image Playground. However, this slower rollout of iOS 18 features is having an impact on development times for its next iteration, and that means iOS 19 might be delayed.

There have been whispers of delays before, so this doesn't come as a huge surprise — particularly when you think about how the production flow at Apple usually goes. In a Threads post, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said: "I continue to hear that the gradual rollout of features across iOS 18 to iOS 18.4 is leading to delays of some features scheduled for iOS 19. That will lead to a long-term rollout of features next cycle as well. Engineers are stuck working on iOS 18 projects when they’d usually already be on to the following OS."

Read more