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iOS 26 Adoption Lags as ‘Liquid Glass’ Redesign Meets User Hesitation

Third-party traffic data points to markedly slower upgrades than iOS 18, with no new official distribution numbers.

Overview

  • Statcounter’s latest figures place iOS 26.1 and 26.2 together at about 15.31% of tracked iOS devices.
  • Older iOS 18 point releases remain dominant at roughly 64.43%, indicating a far faster uptake for the prior generation.
  • Apple has not updated its public iOS distribution dashboard since June 2025, when iOS 18 was cited at about 88% among recent App Store users.
  • Safari on iOS 26 reportedly masks its version to reduce fingerprinting, a detail that may affect web analytics counts, and Statcounter has not commented on its handling.
  • Apple has issued 26.1 and 26.2 to fix issues like illegible icons and menus while retaining the core Liquid Glass design, as the design lead Alan Dye departs to Meta.