iOS 26 ADOPTION LAGS BEHIND iOS 18

The adoption figures reveal a slower uptake for iOS 26 compared to its predecessor across both metrics. For all iPhones in use, adoption dropped 3 percentage points from iOS 18's 82% to iOS 26's 79%. Among newer devices released within the past four years, the gap widened to 2 percentage points, with iOS 26 reaching 86% adoption versus iOS 18's 88%. The decline could reflect varied factors including user preferences to delay updates, device compatibility limitations, or a broader pattern in software upgrade cycles. Apple typically releases major iOS versions annually at WWDC, and adoption rates can fluctuate based on feature sets, stability concerns, and the age of supported devices. Despite the lower figures, iOS 26 maintains strong penetration across Apple's install base, demonstrating the company's continued ability to distribute software updates at scale.