- Apple’s upcoming macOS 26 will be called Tahoe
- It will be named after the famous Lake Tahoe in California
- The naming will reflect the new Solarium design in the user interface
Wth just a week to go, there is a lot of hype and rumours surrounding Apple’s next major event. The Cupertino giant is expected to unveil the next version of macOS at the event, which will be referred to as macOS 26. This change is due to synchronize the version of all OS with the succeeding year. A new report claims that the upcoming macOS will be called Tahoe, in line with Apple’s naming convention.
macOS 26 Will Be Known After Lake Tahoe In California
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has revealed in his weekly newsletter that Apple will name macOS 26 after Lake Tahoe in California. This is in line with the company’s convention to give a name to every software after a place in California.
The tradition started in 2013 with macOS Mavericks. It has named every version of the laptop/desktop OS after national parks, mountain ranges, islands, and wine country in the western states.
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The current macOS is called Sequoia after the national forest in the state. Furthermore, when Apple plans a major overhaul, it is reflected in the naming scheme.
For instance, in 2014, the company revamped the design with macOS Yosemite, named after Yosemite National Park, with rock formations. Similarly, Apple’s shift to M1 chips on MacBooks was marked by Big Sur, with a big hint at the major change.
Likewise, Lake Tahoe is a popular vacation getaway, especially for Apple employees. Apart from being a tourist destination, the lake is known for its reflections of the sky and mountains. This is indicative of the new Solarium design Apple is adopting for its software.
Why Is Apple Calling It macOS 26 Not 25?
Well, Mark Gurman has revealed the reason behind Apple’s decision to opt for macOS 26 instead of 25. To showcase the fact that these OS are constantly evolving and to signal progress, it wants to use a number from the succeeding year.
Furthermore, since Apple releases its new software in September at the end of the year, it only makes sense to opt for 26. The company’s fiscal year also begins in October. Last but not least, to hide its shortcomings on the AI front, Apple wants to shift the focus to its upcoming OS.
Gurman also states that Apple will follow this new convention with the release of macOS 27 next year. However, there will be no change in iPhone’s numbering with the release of iPhone 17 later this year.
At WWDC, Apple will open up Apple Intelligence to third-party developers to give it the edge it desperately needs. Moreover, it’s working on a new version of the Games app apart from some Apple Intelligence features.
Other minor announcements include the ability to sync Wi-Fi details across devices, AI battery management, live translation for AirPods, and eye scrolling for Vision Pro. There’s also AI Doctor and an overhaul of the Health app, a bidirectional English and Arabic keyboard, and digital reed calligraphy for Apple Pencil.
