After 15 years of revisions, OS X is on version 10.11, also known as El Capitan – but it could be the last version to sport that sort of version number. Since the release of Mac OS X in 2001, Apple has continued to tweak and enhance its modern Mac operating system with regular refreshes. The OS itself remains nimble and useful, but the naming convention is starting to get long in the tooth.
The latest clue comes from Apple itself, thanks to a newly refreshed page on environmental responsibility. The page specifically mentions “MacOS” when talking about the average amount of use of a Mac computer, and it’s listed alongside Apple’s other operating systems. Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) takes place in June, and if a naming change is coming, it should be announced then. While “MacOS” has been used unofficially as shorthand for the operating system, Apple doesn’t use the term officially for any purposes – but that could change. Last month, a “MacOS” reference was found in an Interface Builder document in OS X 10.11.4’s System folder, which has helped fuel speculation on the matter.