StatCounter shows iOS 26 on just 15-16% of iPhones, while over 60% stay on iOS 18. We unpack the slowdown: Liquid Glass backlash and Apple's security updates.
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Several months after the release of iOS 26, adoption among iPhone owners is strikingly slow. StatCounter’s January 2026 snapshot puts iOS 26 and its point updates at roughly 15–16% of active devices worldwide, while more than 60% of iPhones are still running iOS 18. Previous generations typically cleared the halfway mark within a comparable window, making this rollout look unusually cautious.
The breakdown shows most iOS 26 users are on versions 26.1 and 26.2, with the base release attracting only a small share. Set against iOS 18’s trajectory—about four months after launch it was already on over 60% of devices—and the similar patterns seen with iOS 17 and iOS 16 in prior years, the slowdown stands out.
Specialist traffic data points in the same direction. In early January 2025, nearly 90% of MacRumors visitors were using iOS 18; by January 2026, only about a quarter of the site’s audience had moved to iOS 26. Apple has yet to publish official figures, but third‑party measurements suggest users are taking their time.
One possible explanation is the radical Liquid Glass redesign, the headline visual change in iOS 26. Its translucent layers, blur effects, and dynamic depth drew mixed reactions at the announcement stage, and some users, it seems, chose not to rush the upgrade.
Another factor is Apple’s approach to legacy support. The company continues to ship security updates for iOS 18, letting iPhone owners stay on a familiar build without compromising protection. For the first time in a long while, there’s no pressing need to jump to the new iOS the moment it lands—an incentive structure that tempers adoption.