Apple's big bet for this year, iOS 26 is not catching on with iPhone users as the company expected.Despite arriving with a profound design change, new animations and a marked aesthetic shift with Liquid Glass, the usage data handled in these first months points to a much slower adoption than usual.
In the absence of official figures, Estimates from various analytics firms suggest that iOS 26 could become one of the least installed versions in recent iOS history.The scenario is especially striking when compared to the success of iOS 18, which in a similar period had won over more than half of active iPhone users worldwide.
A lukewarm launch for a version destined to be historic
iOS 26 arrived in September with the promise of a major visual revolution. The new design language, dubbed Liquid Glass introduces translucent layers, reflections, and depth effects. which replace the classic, more opaque and sober interface that had been accompanying users for years.
In theory, it was the perfect update to give a facelift to compatible iPhones. Apple boasted during the summer that the iOS 26 beta was "the most popular in its history"With millions of users testing the new features in advance, there was anticipation and a desire to experiment with the "new future" that the company had promised since WWDC.
However, once the final version was released, the initial enthusiasm began to wane. According to the data being published, The installation of iOS 26 is progressing at an unusually slow paceAnd a large majority of iPhone owners have decided, for the time being, to stay where they are.
The situation is particularly striking in Europe and in mature markets like Spain, where historically iPhone users usually update very quickly out of habit, out of trust in the Apple ecosystem, and due to pressure from the apps themselves, which soon stop supporting older versions.
The figures that paint iOS 26 as a failure
Much of the perception of iOS 26 as a failure stems from the statistics of StatCounter, a firm that analyzes web traffic to estimate operating system usageTheir recent records paint a bleak picture for the new version of the system.
According to this data, Only around 15-16% of active iPhones have made the jump to iOS 26The different sub-versions add up to approximately that share: iOS 26.1 is around 10,6% of devices, iOS 26.2 is around 4,6%, and the initial edition, iOS 26.0, barely reaches 1,1%.
On the other side of the graph, iOS 18 continues to clearly dominate the iPhone market.Versions like iOS 18.7 and iOS 18.6 account for the majority of the user base, to the point that over 60% of devices are still running that generation of the system. The remaining phones are divided among older revisions.
Compared to the behavior of previous years, the difference is striking: Around January of last year, iOS 18 was already installed on approximately 60% of iPhonesAnd other previous versions, such as iOS 17 or iOS 16, have already surpassed 50% by this point after their release. In contrast, the 15-16% attributed to iOS 26 seems, at the very least, worrying.
Adoption is much slower than in previous versions.
The contrast is also evident on sites frequented by Apple's most enthusiastic users. Specialized media outlets suggest that Even among the most tech-savvy audience, the jump to iOS 26 is proving more timid than usual., with iOS 18 usage percentages still well above what was seen in previous cycles.
Some European websites have resorted to reviewing their own internal access data to gauge adoption rates. On websites focused on iPhone and iPad, recent records show a more nuanced realityIn December, slightly more than half of the readers accessing the site from an iPhone were already using iOS 26, and in January the percentage rose to around 70%.
These internal figures, however, correspond to a very specific audience: users who frequently read about technology, and who tend to update quickly And in many cases, they had even installed the beta versions. If even among this more active user base the pace has been somewhat slower than in previous years, it's reasonable to assume that overall adoption is lower among the general population.
The message that ultimately sinks in is that iOS 26 is not replicating the pattern of rapid adoption that Apple has enjoyed over the past decadeThis is not a minor setback, but a visible slowdown in almost every indicator related to this version.
Liquid Glass: a redesign that doesn't quite convince
Much of the uncertainty surrounding iOS 26 revolves around Liquid Glass, the new design that transforms the system's appearanceSoftly blurred backgrounds, semi-transparent cards, more striking transitions… on paper, it was an attempt to modernize the interface and give it a lighter look.
In practice, the change has proven divisive. Some users find the new style cluttered, unclear, and even annoying in their daily lives.The feeling of being in front of a kind of shiny glass all over generates rejection in those who preferred the previous sobriety, especially on small screens or with a lot of ambient light.
Apple has reacted quickly to the criticism and, in one of the first revisions of the version, It introduced controls to reduce the intensity of the effects of Liquid GlassThis partial reversal is interpreted as a clear sign that the company is aware that the redesign has not been received with the enthusiasm it had hoped for.
Added to that is a problem of coherence: Large applications, such as the most popular browsers, have adopted the new visual language relatively quickly.but a large number of third party apps It's much slower. The result is a halfway system, with some screens embracing Liquid Glass and others that still look like they're from iOS 18.
For many users, this mix of styles breaks one of iOS's historical hallmarks: the feeling of uniformity and consistency throughout the systemWhen each application seems to be governed by a different set of visual rules, the experience loses cohesion and the change is perceived more as an aesthetic whim than a real improvement.
The psychological effect of the jump "from 18 to 26"
Beyond the purely visual aspect, there is another factor that seems to weigh heavily in the decision to update: the version number itselfApple decided to align iOS with the calendar year and went from iOS 18 to iOS 26, a sharp numerical jump that many users interpret as a radical change.
For the more advanced users, that detail is anecdotal. But For the average user who only checks the notification in Settings, going from 18 to 26 sounds like a profound transformation., with all that this implies: fear of losing performance, doubts about app compatibility, or fear that your iPhone will suddenly "become old".
In physical stores and technical services, it is common to hear comments from customers that They prefer to maintain the system as it is because "it's working fine for them."If you add to that perception the noise generated on social media about the design of Liquid Glass, the perfect cocktail for stagnation is served.
The context doesn't help: iOS 18 has aged very wellIt remains a stable system, fast on most compatible models, and for the vast majority, more than sufficient for daily use. When what you already have works flawlessly, the motivation to risk a major upgrade is drastically reduced.
Less pressure to update: iOS 18 continues to receive patches
Another key aspect in understanding why iOS 26 is perceived as a failure is the update policy. Apple continues to release security patches for iOS 18, something that a few years ago was not so prolonged or so frequent for previous versions.
This has a direct consequence: Staying on iOS 18 no longer feels like a risky decision In terms of security, those who choose not to upgrade to iOS 26 can continue using their iPhone with the peace of mind that the most important vulnerabilities continue to be patched.
In markets like Spain, where Many users keep their devices for several years before replacing them.This detail becomes even more important. Those with an iPhone XR or iPhone XS, models that were left off the official iOS 26 compatibility list, can continue using iOS 18 with reasonably good security and performance updates.
Without that feeling of "obligation" to keep your mobile phone protected, the urgency to update disappearsThe update is no longer seen as a technical requirement but becomes a voluntary choice, which many postpone while waiting to see if the initial problems are resolved or if the experience improves with new versions.
The result is a vicious cycle that is difficult to break: He who doubts, waits; he who waits, hears more criticism than praise.And the longer this period of uncertainty lasts, the more the idea becomes that iOS 26 is not as worthwhile as Apple promised.
Is iOS 26 really among Apple's worst releases?
With all these elements on the table, the big question is obvious: Are we really facing one of the worst iOS launches in terms of adoption? The data indicating a 15-16% installation rate suggests this, but it needs clarification.
StatCounter's figures are based on web and browser traffic analysisnot in a direct count of installations. This means that the results could be skewed if the detection method doesn't correctly recognize the system version or if certain user profiles browse the web less and use apps more.
Other analytics platforms that measure through the applications themselves, such as TelemetryDeck, point to significantly higher adoption rates. close to 60% of active users on iOS 26That view fits better with what is seen on reference sites in the technology field and with the experiences of some developers.
Even so, even taking the most generous data, the general feeling in the sector is that iOS 26 has not achieved the same success as previous versionsThe design change, the confusion with the numbering, and the lack of pressure for safety have outweighed the announced new features.
Until Apple publishes official statistics, something that usually happens a couple of times a year and could happen at any time, the debate will remain openBut the prevailing narrative right now, especially in Europe, is that iOS 26 "isn't quite taking off" and that a large portion of users have decided, for the time being, to turn their backs on it.
iOS 27, the "Snow Leopard" that should fix the mess
In this context, All eyes are now on iOS 27According to various analysts and leaks, Apple has taken note of the bad taste left by iOS 26 and is preparing a much more visually conservative update, focused on polishing what is already available.
The reports circulating suggest that a similar approach to that of Mac OS X Snow Leopard or iOS 12Less fireworks, more work under the hood. Performance, stability, internal fixes, and finer integration of Apple Intelligence These would be the key points of the upcoming release.
That shift makes sense: If iOS 26 is perceived as a risky update, iOS 27 must be presented as the version that stabilizes everything.A system that retains the valid ideas of the Liquid Glass redesign, but reduces excesses, improves consistency between apps, and regains the trust of those who have not wanted to move from iOS 18.
Apple thus faces a challenge that is unusual for the company in recent years: Convincing a reluctant user base to upgrade en masseIt's not enough to simply add flashy features or more spectacular animations; the message will have to focus on convenience, long-term security, and the feeling that the change is truly worthwhile.
Meanwhile, iOS 26 is left in an awkward position: It's the version that marks a turning point in design, but also the one that's paying the price for initial rejection.If Apple succeeds in making iOS 27 be seen as the "serious" and mature revision of that change, it is likely that in a few years iOS 26 will be remembered as the experiment that paved the way, even though in the short term it will still be labeled as a minor failure.
With all these pieces falling into place, the picture that emerges is that of an operating system that is aesthetically ambitious but received with a cold reception. iOS 26 has clashed with the reality of users who prioritize stability, familiarity, and security over aggressive visual changes.And Apple is already working to correct course with an upcoming version designed to calm the waters.
