iOS 18 surpassed iOS 17 in popularity - How many iPhones have it installed?

iOS 18 has already surpassed iOS 17 in popularity - and the numbers prove it

Demographic installation rates (June 2025)

iOS 18

• 88% of iPhones released in the last 4 years (i.e. iPhone 13 and later) have been upgraded to iOS 18
• 82% of all active iPhones running iOS 18.

For example, in January 2025, the corresponding numbers were 76%/68%, meaning that adoption has accelerated significantly.

iOS 17 (June 2024, same timeline as iOS 18 this year)

• 86% of the newer iPhones (last 4 years) were upgraded to iOS 17 then.
• 77% of all active iPhones were running iOS 17.

Comparison & Conclusion

Read also: iOS 18.5: New update available for iPhone

➤ In other words, iOS 18 already has a higher installation than iOS 17 in the same month last year.

Why was the transition so fast?

• The major improvements of iOS 18, e.g. Apple Intelligence tools (Genmoji, Image Playground, etc.), seem to have captured the interest of users.
• Also, the new devices (iPhone 13+) come directly with iOS 18, increasing the overall percentage.

What does this mean in practice?

• Almost 1 in 5 iPhones (18%) have not yet upgraded to iOS 18.
• For iPhone last four years, only 12% has not been upgraded.
• iOS 18 has already become more popular than iOS 17 in the same timeframe, with higher rates on both new and existing devices. Users are showing significant interest in the new features, and installation is expected to increase even more.

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