Why should Apple use a year-based hardware naming system?

Apple has overhauled the naming system for all of its operating systems to use consistent yearly version numbers. For those who dread deciphering model numbers, Apple should do the same for its devices.

Apple's year-named operating system is the perfect solution

During the WWDC 2025 keynote held on June 9, Apple switched from the old naming system to a unified version number for all of its operating systems, including iOS, watchOS, tvOS, macOS, visionOS, and iPadOS.

With this change, all new versions of Apple's operating systems use the last two digits of the year following their official release. Instead of relying on incremental version numbers or arbitrary names, this approach gives users immediate context about when the operating system was released.

For example, major software releases announced at WWDC 2025 will use version number 26, such as iOS 26 and watchOS 26. The next major update in 2026 will use version number 27, and subsequent updates will follow the same pattern. This unification of OS version numbers is a refreshing change that brings much-needed clarity to Apple's software lineup.

Compare this to what we had before, and the difference is clear as day. For example, in 2024, Apple announced several major updates to its operating systems, including iOS 18 , iPadOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11 , tvOS 18, and VisionOS 1.0. That inconsistency has made things messy.

The new system makes it easy to know what's new and what's outdated. You don't even have to follow tech news closely to know when iOS 26 is coming out.

Apple's hardware names are getting more and more confusing

Apple's hardware product naming is a mess, and it's gotten even more confusing lately in some product lines. The iPad line is a perfect example of this confusion. While it's easy to differentiate between the main product lines like iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro, the problem lies in the actual product names.

The latest iPad models in each product line, as of this writing, are the iPad (11th generation), iPad mini (7th generation), iPad Air (7th generation), and iPad Pro (7th generation). Some were released in 2024, while others were released in 2025.

And to make matters worse, Apple often just refers to its main product line, like iPad mini or Pro, without specifying the generation or officially attaching the chip to the name. If you're in the market for a new iPad, you might not know which one is the latest because the naming system is inconsistent unless you look it up or are an avid follower of Apple's product releases.

For MacBooks, Apple only includes the screen size in the name and doesn't mention when the device was released. The "14-inch MacBook Pro" name, for example, doesn't reveal any details about the device other than the screen size. The company's naming scheme for its smartwatch line is similarly vague; " Apple Watch Series 10 " tells you it's the 10th model, but doesn't tell you how new it is.

Naming hardware by year makes life easier

Apple's move to a year-based naming system for hardware would solve these problems, as would its new operating system version system. Currently, keeping track of Apple's product line requires digging into the specs or checking release dates.

Imagine how much simpler it would be if Apple used names like 'MacBook Air 2025,' 'MacBook Pro 2025,' 'iPad Pro 26,' 'Apple Watch Ultra 27,' and 'iPhone 26 Pro.' You'd know when the model was released right from the start. It would be easy to differentiate between older models and the latest generation without having to decipher confusing chip names or look up the release year online. Non-tech-savvy users would feel more confident navigating upgrades or choosing the right product.

It would also bring consistency across Apple's entire hardware ecosystem. It's not a radical idea, and Apple wouldn't be the first company to do so. A recent example is Apple competitor Samsung, which adopted a yearly naming scheme for its flagship Galaxy S series in 2020. At that time, Samsung switched the version numbers for its flagship lineup from the S10 to the S20.

That makes it easy to spot the latest from Samsung's Galaxy S line, and Apple's hardware products would benefit from such simplicity. That way, choosing which product to buy when the signs that it's time to upgrade your iPad appear would be much simpler.

Apple's new year-based OS naming system is a step in the right direction. It not only simplifies software versions, but also makes it easier to identify the current release. That's only for Apple's operating systems, though; its hardware lineup could benefit from such a streamlining. If Apple adopted the same simple naming approach for its devices, it would make shopping a lot easier.

Micah Soto

Update 20 June 2025