An iOS 15 leak has pretty much revealed the official name of the next iPhone operating system; expect it on the iPhone 13.
The leak was found within WebKit, the software behind Apple's Safari browser, by 9to5Mac. While it's only a passing mention, it now seems undeniable that iOS 15 is the name of the software iPhone users will get to try out in September.
- iOS 15 release date, features, leaks and what we want
- Find the perfect Apple laptop for you needs with our best MacBook guide
- Plus: Apple Car designs emerge — we know which one we’d drive
To be precise, the iOS 15 name was spotted in code within the WebKit open-source repository, the online database of past and in-development WebKit versions (screenshot below). It's unusual to see the name here since these repository entries normally call future OS versions "TBA" to disguise their identity.
Unfortunately, while this discovery seems to confirm the name of the next big iPhone software upgrade, there's no mention of features. As of the most recent crop of leaks, there's no news of how Apple will follow up iOS 14's widgets and App Library.
However, it's rumored that iOS 15 will be supported on the iPhone 7 and newer models. That means iPhone 6s and original iPhone SE users (the model from 2016, not the iPhone SE 2020) will be left out.
It's assumed that once again the new version of iOS will debut alongside the next iPhone. This year that's the iPhone 13 — if Apple sticks with that naming convention and doesn't go with the iPhone 12s — which we're expecting to arrive in September in line with Apple's usual release schedule.
For Mac fans, this repository also featured evidence of macOS 12. This is the follow-up to macOS 11 Big Sur, which was the first version of macOS in 19 years to change the number, macOS X having been used in various iterations since 2001. Looks like Apple's continuing to increase the number for this next version too.
New editions of iOS and macOS are revealed each year as part of Apple's WWDC conference, which normally takes place in June. The announcement for the event usually comes in March but has happened as late as mid-April in previous years. Therefore it's likely we'll be hearing an official date out of Cupertino soon.
