**iOS 26 Adoption Analysis: A Gradual Beginning Compared to Earlier Releases**
iOS 26 has been on the market for almost four months, but data from Statcounter suggests that this iPhone update is considerably trailing behind its earlier versions in terms of adoption, with the majority of users choosing to remain on iOS 18.
### iOS 26 Adoption Apparently Lags Seriously Behind Previous Versions
Statcounter has been monitoring usage statistics for browsers, OS versions, and search engines for many years. Its most recent findings regarding iOS 26 adoption illustrate a very straightforward narrative: the overwhelming number of iPhone users continue to operate on iOS 18.
International iOS version statistics as of January 2026 reveal the following iOS 18 usage among active iPhones:
– **iOS 18.7**: 33.8%
– **iOS 18.6**: 25.2%
– **iOS 18.5**: 5.6%
In comparison, the usage percentages for iOS 26 are as follows:
– **iOS 26.1**: 10.6%
– **iOS 26.2**: 4.6%
– **iOS 26.0**: 1.1%
After four months since its launch, iOS 26 is utilized by only about 16% of iPhone users, while iOS 18 still dominates with over 60%.
Is this typical for new OS releases? Not based on Statcounter’s data. In January 2025, more than 60% of users were using some iteration of the latest iOS 18 software—approximately four times the number currently using iOS 26 in this same period. In 2024, iOS 17 similarly achieved over 50% adoption already.
### 9to5Mac’s Perspective
Apple seldom discloses OS usage statistics, making third-party sources like Statcounter the most reliable means of gauging a software release’s adoption. Thus far, the outlook for iOS 26 appears less than favorable.
If these statistics are remotely accurate, it raises the question: why are users hesitant to upgrade?
Possible explanations include Apple’s emphasis on potential battery life effects, its postponement of making iOS 26 the ‘recommended’ update in Settings, or apprehensions regarding the Liquid Glass design.
### Summary
The sluggish adoption rate of iOS 26 prompts inquiries about user inclinations and reservations concerning new updates. As the technology community continues to evaluate these patterns, it remains uncertain how Apple will tackle these challenges and persuade users to make the upgrade.