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iOS 26 Adoption Rate Notably Lower Than Previous Versions Months After Launch: Report

iOS 26 Adoption Rate Notably Lower Than Previous Versions Months After Launch: Report

Apple started rolling out the iOS 26 update to eligible iPhone models globally in September 2025.

Written by Dhruv Raghav, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 9 January 2026 11:40 IST

iOS 26 Adoption Rate Notably Lower Than Previous Versions Months After Launch: Report

Photo Credit: Apple

iOS 26's stable version started rolling out to select iPhone models in September.

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Highlights

iPhone 17 series phone were first to ship with iOS 26
iOS 26 was first unveiled at WWDC 2025 with Liquid Glass
Liquid Glass has reportedly caused legibility issues

Apple first unveiled the iOS 26 user interface (UI) with the Liquid Glass design in June 2025 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). After months of beta testing, the OS update was rolled out globally to eligible iPhone users in September last year, soon after the launch of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17, which run iOS 26 out of the box. However, the legibility issues associated with Liquid Glass and various iOS 26 bugs led to the company receiving criticism from users. Now, a report reveals that only a small percentage of users have upgraded to iOS 26.

iOS 26 Adoption Rate Said to Be ‘Far Less' Than iOS 18

Data from StatCounter, a web analytics service, shows that only a small percentage of iPhone users have upgraded to the new iOS 26 version. Moreover, it is also notably lower than previous iOS versions at the same time after their release. While the data reportedly does not mention the reason behind the significantly low adoption rate, a Cult of Mac report speculates that Apple's new Liquid Glass design could be the reason behind this.

The report added that nearly four months after the iOS 26 release in the middle of September, about 15 percent of iPhone users have installed one of the versions of the OS. For context, in January 2025, about 63 percent of iPhone users had installed one of the versions of the iOS 18.

Apple Will Soon Allow You to Pair Third-Party Accessories With iPhone

During the same month in 2024, about 54 percent of the users were using iOS 17 and about 62 percent of the iPhone users were reportedly on iOS 16 in January 2023. However, it should be noted that iPhone 17]() series was launched with iOS 26, and only older iPhone models had the option to upgrade. Whether this number includes iPhone 17 series users or not was not revealed.

Soon after its release in September 2025, many users online started complaining about the legibility issues that came with iOS 26's Liquid Glass design, which makes various UI elements transparent. This led to Apple adding more customisation options in subsequent updates as a stop-gap measure.

For example, In November 2025, Apple started rolling out the iOS 26.1 update with a new feature that helps user switch between “clear look” and tinted look”.

The tech giant explained this will help in increasing the opacity of UI elements in apps and notifications on the lock screen. Nearly month after this, the Cupertino-based company released the iOS 26.2 update with more refinements. The firmware version features an option, which lets iPhone users change the opacity of the clock widget on the lock screen.

iPhone 17

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Transformative and brighter ProMotion display
Powerful performance
Meaningful camera upgrades
More value-for-money
Great battery life

Bad
iOS 26 has glitches
Ineffective anti-reflective coating

Read detailed Apple iPhone 17 review

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Apple A19

Front Camera 18-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 26

Resolution 1206x2622 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 17 Pro Max

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
The boldest redesign since the iPhone X
Bright and stunning display
A19 Pro under the hood guarantees excellent performance
Massive camera upgrade
Video quality gets a much-needed bump
Centre Stage camera at the front changes selfie game on iPhones forever
Improved charging speed

Bad
Aluminium body picks up scratches
Expensive
Heavier than the 16 Pro Max

Read detailed Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review

Display 6.90-inch

Processor Apple A19 Pro

Front Camera 18-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB

OS iOS 26

Resolution 1320x2868 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 17 Pro

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Apple A19 Pro

Front Camera 18-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 26

Resolution 1206x2622 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: iOS 26, Apple iOS 26, iOS 26 Liquid Glass, Liquid Glass Design, Apple

Dhruv Raghav

Email Dhruv Raghav

Dhruv Raghav is currently working as a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets360. He has previously covered the North American financial markets as a Headline News Correspondent for a major news agency. After taking a sabbatical to prepare for the Civil Services examination, he returned to journalism to cover tech policy, with a special focus on AI laws and online gaming regulation. Now, he is back in Gadgets360 to write features and edit stories. To unwind, he likes to spend time with his PS5, listening ...More