- In the front of WWDC 2025, Apple shares installation statistics for iOS 18 and iPados 18
- If you haven’t installed iOS 18 yet you are in the smaller group as it is at 82% of all eligible devices
- Apple does not guarantee a number of years for software updates to its devices
Have you used iOS 18 on your iPhone since it was released in September? Or maybe you’re in camp to wait a bit to upgrade until friends or family do, or you read reactions from those who have tested it.
No matter what camp you are in, Apple’s iOS 18 – and iPados 18, the Operating System for iPad – is officially eight months old. Although not a year, the company’s 2025 worldwide developer conference will start on Monday, June 9 with an opening of keynote speaker. We expect the unveiling of the next generation of iOS and other platforms.
In the days leading up to this event, Apple shares the final use numbers on iOS 18 and iPados 18. While the tech giant does not promise a specific number of years for software updates and equally important security updates, iOS 18 up to iPhone XR/XS, and iPados 18 works on iPad 7.
These are a large number of supported devices, and for iOS 18, 82% of all eligible iOS devices run the latest and best of Apple. In terms of eligible units released in the last four years, the installation rate is higher: 88%. Meanwhile, 71% of all iPads that can run iPados 18 have installed and iPads released in the last four years has an installation ratio of approx. 81%.
IOS 18 and iPados 18 were also pretty big updates-for the first, it started the rolling launch of Apple Intelligence with iOS 18.1 in October 2024, but it remains incomplete and the highly expected AI-run Siri is still delayed. You can use features such as Genmoji, Image Playground, Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence on eligible iPhones or iPads that support Apple Intelligence.
In addition to this suite, however, iOS 18 broke the so-called app grille so you can place apps, no matter where you want to spaces in between-on the iPhone and iPad. It also allows you to adjust the color or tone of your entire home screen, including app icons. The photos app was redesigned and added adaptation but was not loved by everyone. Apple finally added support to RCS messages as well as being able to rework the layout of the Control Center.
It was a solid, significant release for iOS and iPados, which even got minor updates and is currently sitting at iOS 18.5 and iPados 18.5. Many of the features work on devices as far back as the iPhone XR, although the total speed and battery life can vary.
So if you haven’t updated to iOS 18 yet and you’re on the iPhone, Apple’s latest numbers put you in the smaller group. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s a good idea to keep your phone updated beyond just the new features, as privacy and security updates are also included in these updates.
But how can this be compared to Android phones? As I wrote above, Apple does not guarantee a timeframe, but you can see that it goes back six years for iPhones when the XS was released in 2018.
Samsung now guarantees most of its Galaxy Phone lineup in seven years of software upgrades, while Google Pixel phones receive five years of updates to Pixel 6 and the elderly, increasing to seven years for Pixel 7 and newer. This means that if you get a Pixel 9, you can expect updates through 2031.
Depending on the model, Motorola offers three years larger OS updates plus an extra year of security updates. OnePlus offers four years of OS and security updates on its named flagship phones.
While we expect new versions of iOS and iPados on WWDC 2025, the rumor mill has not mentioned Apple, which promised a specific number of years of software and privacy updates. It could happen, but I think the focus will be on the very rumor that began by a vision-pro-like design the rest of the platform-thinking glassy and slim everywhere.
