Apple’s latest update, iOS 18, is gaining traction at an impressive pace, surpassing the adoption rates of its predecessor, iOS 17. According to Apple’s statistics, a remarkable 88% of iPhones released in the last four years are currently running iOS 18. Overall, 82% of all active iPhones have made the switch to this new operating system. This marks a significant increase from earlier this year when only 76% of newer iPhones and 68% of all iPhones were updated to iOS 18.
Interestingly, iOS 18 is proving to be more popular than iOS 17. In June 2024, 86% of newer iPhones had adopted iOS 17, whereas only 77% of all iPhones were using it at that time. The trend is similar in the iPad arena, where 81% of iPads released in the last four years are currently utilizing iPadOS 18, compared to 71% of all active iPads. This shows a quicker uptake than the previous version, iPadOS 17.
The faster adoption rates of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 might stem from appealing features like Writing Tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, and notification summaries. Apple’s commitment to regular software updates for even older models enhances the longevity of their devices and greatly attracts customer loyalty. The deep integration of hardware and software promotes a sense of value for iPhone users over time. Looking ahead, Apple is preparing to unveil a potential new operating system at WWDC 2025, speculated to be called iOS 26 instead of the expected iOS 19.
This new iteration may feature a redesign and could support devices as old as the iPhone 11. Meanwhile, Android 15’s adoption is lagging, likely due to the fragmentation caused by various manufacturers’ custom skins, making swift adoption akin to Apple’s model challenging.