iOS 18 Adoption Rates: A Slight Uptick, but Still Lagging Behind Android
Apple released its latest iOS 18 adoption figures on Friday, showing a modest increase compared to last year's iOS 17 adoption rates. As of January 21st, 68% of all iPhones are running iOS 18, representing a 2% increase from the 66% of iPhones running iOS 17 at the same time last year.
For devices from the last four years, the adoption rate remains consistent at 76%, mirroring the figure for iOS 17 in 2024.
iPadOS 18 Adoption: A Slight Improvement
iPadOS 18 adoption also saw a minor increase. 53% of all iPads are currently running the latest operating system, identical to iPadOS 17's adoption rate last year. However, for devices from the last four years, there's a slight improvement: 63% are running iPadOS 18, compared to 61% for iPadOS 17 in 2024.
Apple Intelligence Adoption: A Mystery
While these figures provide a general overview of iOS and iPadOS adoption, Apple remains tight-lipped about the specific uptake of its Apple Intelligence suite of generative AI features. This lack of transparency makes it difficult to gauge the public's interest and engagement with these new AI-powered functionalities.
Pushing Apple Intelligence Adoption: A Shift in Strategy
In a recent iOS 18.3 beta, Apple introduced a significant change: Apple Intelligence features are now enabled by default during the onboarding process. While users can still opt-out in the settings, this shift in strategy clearly indicates Apple's desire to increase the adoption of its AI offerings.
Comparison to Android: A Continuing Challenge
While Apple boasts a strong user base, its iOS adoption rates consistently lag behind Android. Google's operating system typically boasts significantly higher adoption rates across its diverse device ecosystem.
Conclusion
The latest iOS and iPadOS adoption figures reveal a modest increase compared to last year, but overall, the numbers remain relatively stable. Apple's push to enable Apple Intelligence features by default suggests a growing emphasis on AI within its ecosystem. However, the company's lack of transparency regarding Apple Intelligence adoption leaves much to be desired.
