iOS 26: Update refusal, catastrophically low distribution – compared to previous updates | News
On the developer pages, Apple maintains statistics from which you can see the distribution of a new major version of iOS. Typically, after three to four months, this quickly shows values of 75 percent or more, which Apple also often highlights. Strangely, however, the data has not been updated since the release of iOS 26. This suggested that we would not be able to achieve good results this time. Current web statistics should now show why this is the case. Users are not only hesitant, there is a real refusal to update. This has never happened before with major releases in this form. Disastrously bad numbers for iOS 26 – not just below average
At this point in the year, Statcounter normally determines around 60 percent of web access using the current iOS generation. This time it’s just 16 percent, which would be by far the worst value ever recorded for a major release. MacRumors also took a look at its own web statistics, which were still at 89 percent for iOS 18 at the beginning of January 2025. However, the direct successor, iOS 26, only achieved a measly 25.7 percent a year later.
Although iOS 26 performs slightly better among MacTechNews readers than in the lists from Statcounter and MacRumors, 33 percent distribution is still an exceptionally low value. For comparison: new major versions usually exceed the 60 percent mark after less than two weeks. We have never seen such low values before. Only TelemetryDeck, a statistical tool for integration into iOS apps, paints a more positive picture and certifies that iOS 26 has around 55 percent penetration – but iOS 18 had 78 percent a year ago.
The mood is definitely changing
If you look at many of the discussions surrounding iOS 26, you can definitely speak of a changed mood. There was always complaining, but for the first time this can be measured with concrete numbers, i.e. actual update refusal. Statements like “Apple no longer places such great importance on software quality, but rather on effects and marketing” used to be heard sporadically, but now they are omnipresent even outside of pure tech forums. The theory that Apple had to throw together half-baked Liquid Glass in a hurry to distract from AI and Siri problems is also constantly circulating. In the past, not the best hardware, but the best software, today almost unrivaled hardware, but increasing deficits in software – this is how more and more users summarize the situation.
