- Apple is working on the biggest overhaul to iOS, macOS, and iPadOS in recent years.
- The iOS 19 update will have a design loosely inspired by VisionOS.
- The company wants to provide a consistent experience across all operating systems with a similar UI.
If you thought iOS 18, with its customization options, was a crazy update, wait until you hear about iOS 19. Apparently, Apple is planning its most significant visual overhaul for iOS since the iOS 7 update. It’s not just iOS; iPadOS 19 and macOS 16 are also set to receive a fresh coat of paint. The Cupertino giant wants to ensure a consistent visual experience across all of its devices, and iOS 19 could be the first step towards that. Here’s everything you need to know about this massive redesign.
iOS 19 Will Be “Most Dramatic” Update Since iOS 7
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple’s upcoming iOS 19 update will “fundamentally change the look of the operating system.” This includes everything from icon styles to menus, apps, windows, and buttons.
Gurman says the aim is to transform the user interface of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS for a new generation of users. By offering the same consistency in app icons and windows, users should seamlessly switch from one Apple product to another. Currently, it can take a bit of a learning curve to switch from iOS to macOS or vice versa.
Also Read:
- Where Are My Downloads? Android, iOS, Windows, macOS Edition
- 8 New Features in iOS 18.3 Update: Improved Notifications, Visual Intelligence, and More
Despite that, Gurman says that Apple won’t unify all its operating systems into one, as doing so would ultimately hurt its sales. More operating systems mean more devices translating into more sales.
As previously rumored, Apple is drawing inspiration from VisionOS for the upcoming UI revamp. While Apple doesn’t have any long-term vision for Vision Pro, it plans to use the progress made in VisionOS on other devices.
This means a translucent design with 3D elements, depths, and shadows to spice up the user interface. We saw a glimpse of this redesign in the leaked iOS 19 camera app, which has controls at the bottom and more focus on the viewfinder. Tipster IceUniverse also hopes that Apple will use many advanced effects, such as Gaussian blur, in the update.
Gurman says that the overhauled designs for iOS 19 (codename Luck), macOS 16 (codename Cheer), and iPadOS 19 will be announced later this year at WWDC. As the company faces criticism for the delay in rolling out LLM-powered Siri, Gurman claims the design overhaul could serve as a distraction.
