David Bridges
Latest iOS 18 Adoption Rates Show Steady Growth Among iPhone Users
On Friday, Apple released its latest statistics regarding the adoption rates of iOS 18, revealing that the figures are only marginally higher than those recorded for iOS 17 a year prior. As of January 21, the data indicates that 68 percent of all iPhones have successfully transitioned to iOS 18, while 76 percent of devices released in the last four years are now operating on the new system. This demonstrates a continuous trend in user upgrades and reflects Apple’s ongoing commitment to enhancing user experience through software improvements.
In comparison, last year saw 66 percent of all iPhones utilizing iOS 17, marking a modest increase of just two percent for iOS 18 this year. The statistic regarding newer models remains unchanged, with 76 percent of iPhones launched in the last four years running the previous version, iOS 17, as of January 2024. This consistency highlights a stable trend in device upgrades and user engagement with Apple’s latest software releases.
The adoption rates among iPad users have also shown little change, with Apple reporting that 53 percent of all iPads are now operating on iPadOS 18, mirroring the statistics of iPadOS 17 from the previous year. Furthermore, 63 percent of the iPads released in the last four years have successfully migrated to iPadOS 18, which is a slight improvement over the 61 percent adoption rate for iPadOS 17 early last year. This incremental growth in adoption rates showcases the ongoing interest in upgrading to the latest operating systems.
While it remains uncertain if this slight increase in adoption rates can be attributed to Apple’s push for Apple Intelligence features, the company has not disclosed specific numbers regarding user engagement with its suite of generative AI functionalities. This lack of detailed information leaves room for speculation about how many users are exploring these advanced features.
Nonetheless, it is reasonable to assume that Apple is eager to enhance the adoption rates of Apple Intelligence. The recent iOS 18.3 beta indicates that AI features are now being activated by default during the onboarding process. Users still have the option to opt out after this initial setup, but doing so requires navigating through settings, a change from previous versions where users had to explicitly agree to these features during installation. This strategic shift could lead to increased interaction with Apple’s innovative AI tools, potentially arriving as soon as next week.
Daniel Mercer
