Apple has finally shared the statistics of how many iPhone and iPad users have upgraded to its latest operating system, iOS 17, which was launched in September last year. According to the data posted on its developer site, Apple measured the adoption rate of iOS 17 by tracking the devices that accessed the App Store on Sunday, February 4, 2024.
The results showed that among the iPhone models released in the past four years, 76% of them were running on iOS 17, 20% were still on iOS 16, and 4% were using an older version of iOS. For all active iPhones, regardless of their age, the adoption rate of iOS 17 was 66%, while iOS 16 accounted for 23% and older versions for 11%.
These numbers indicate that the adoption rate of iOS 17 has slowed down compared to iOS 16, which had reached 81% of the iPhone models introduced in the last four years by February 2020. One of the possible reasons for this slowdown is the ongoing global chip shortage, which has affected the production and availability of new iPhones and iPads. Another reason could be the lack of compelling features or improvements in iOS 17, which did not motivate users to upgrade.
Apple has released several updates for iOS 17 since its launch, with the most recent one being iOS 17.3 in January 2024. The next update, iOS 17.4, is expected to roll out in early March 2024, and it will bring significant changes for users in the European Union, as it will comply with the new legislation that requires all smartphones to have a common charging port. This means that iPhone users in the EU will be able to use USB-C chargers instead of Lightning cables.
As for iPadOS, the operating system designed specifically for iPads, the adoption rate of iPadOS 17 was higher than that of iOS 17. Among the iPad models released in the past four years, 61% of them were running on iPadOS 17, while 29% were on iPadOS 16, and 10% were on an older version of iPadOS. For all active iPads, the adoption rate of iPadOS 17 was 53%, while iPadOS 16 was 29%, and older versions were 18%.
These numbers show that the adoption rate of iPadOS 17 has improved compared to iPadOS 16, which had reached 53% of the iPad models introduced in the last four years by February 2020. This could be attributed to the enhanced features and performance of iPadOS 17, which made the iPad more versatile and productive as a device.
Apple is already working on the next major version of its operating system, iOS 18, which is expected to be unveiled at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2024. According to some rumors and leaks, iOS 18 will be a significant update that will introduce many new features and capabilities, especially in the field of artificial intelligence. Some of the possible features include improved Siri, Face ID, and camera functions, enhanced privacy and security settings, and more customization and personalization options.
If iOS 18 lives up to expectations, it could boost the adoption rate of the new operating system and attract more users to upgrade their devices. However, Apple will also have to overcome the challenges posed by the chip shortage and the competition from other smartphone makers.