Apple will announce macOS 26 in a few days, which is expected to focus on a major redesign instead of bolstering any front-facing additions. Apple typically selects a new name for macOS every year and this time around, we have heard little to no details on what the company will call its next big update. A new report has emerged, suggesting that macOS 26 will be called macOS Tahoe, named after Lake Tahoe in California.
Apple will release macOS 26 'Tahoe' in a few days, which will be the company's most significant redesign since 2020
Mark Gurman writes in his latest
Power On newsletter that the next iteration of macOS will be called 'macOS Tahoe', named after Lake Tahoe, which is situated between California and Nevada in the United States. The name will reflect the company's first major redesign of macOS since the release of Big Sur in 2020. Gurman states that macOS 26 will be the company's third major update since it started using California-based names and, since it will be a bigger update than originally expected, the company wanted to make it special.
It was recently uncovered that Apple will be using a new naming scheme for its forthcoming software updates. This means that iOS
19 will be called iOS 26, macOS 16 will be called macOS 26, and the same goes for the rest of the updates. The company is minimizing the confusion with the new naming scheme and opting for a year-based solution, which will end the confusion in the minds of the customers and developers.
The company is seemingly using the same approach as automakers with car models named for the following year. It could spark a debate among users and the community as a whole if the company used the current or the following year to name its software updates.
Other than this, macOS 26 Tahoe will focus on a big redesign, a shift from a
feature-focusedupdate. However, this does not mean that the company will not release any new features, but it will surely not be the highlight of the update. Gurman also claims that the company is working on a new version of the Shortcuts app, which allows users to create actions with Apple's foundation models. However, there will be little to no updates for Apple Intelligence, according to the analyst.
