Apple's February 2026 App Store data shows iOS 26 adoption closely matching iOS 18's pace from January 2025, contradicting claims of a faltering upgrade cycle. The February 12 figures reveal 74% of iPhones released in the last four years run iOS 26, while 66% of all active iPhones have upgraded.

Apple measures adoption based on devices completing App Store transactions, providing developers with a realistic view of the addressable market. The data separates recently introduced hardware from the full installed base, enabling year-over-year comparisons. iOS 26 adoption is strongest among newer devices, with the broader base lagging due to older hardware remaining in service longer or lacking support for the latest release.

iPadOS 26 adoption follows a similar pattern, with 66% of four-year iPads running the latest OS compared to 57% across all active iPads. The modest differences between 2025 and 2026 adoption rates don't indicate weak demand, despite what some analysts suggest. With 66% of all active iPhones on the current release, Apple maintains one of the fastest platform migration rates in the industry, far outpacing Android fragmentation.