It is looking more and more likely that iOS will be receiving a significant redesign this year — perhaps the biggest since iOS 7.
It has now been rumored by three separate sources that the iPhone's software platform will eventually look more like the Apple Vision Pro's operating system, visionOS. The changes are expected to be introduced with iOS 19, which should be available in beta starting in June, and released to the general public in September.
Israeli website The Verifier was first to report about the potential visionOS-like redesign, but it said the changes were coming in iOS 18. It is possible that this report was accurate about the details, but wrong about the timeframe.
Then, earlier this year, Jon Prosser claimed that iOS 19 will feature a redesigned Camera app. In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel Front Page Tech, he shared renders of the app's alleged new design, revealing translucent menus and other visionOS-like elements. He speculated that the changes could extend to the Home Screen and beyond.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today corroborated the visionOS-like redesign rumor in a report about Apple's software plans.
Here is what he said, with emphasis added:
The revamp — due later this year — will fundamentally change the look of the operating systems and make Apple's various software platforms more consistent, according to people familiar with the effort. That includes updating the style of icons, menus, apps, windows and system buttons.
As part of the push, the company is working to simplify the way users navigate and control their devices, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the project hasn't been announced. The design is loosely based on the Vision Pro's software, they said.
He said the changes are coming to the iPhone with iOS 19:
The changes are coming as part of iOS 19 and iPadOS 19 — code-named "Luck" — and macOS 16, which is dubbed "Cheer."
A big unanswered question: Will the iPhone have circular app icons on iOS 19, rather than squircle ones? Gurman acknowledged that visionOS has circular app icons, but he stopped short of saying if they will come to iOS.
At a minimum, you can expect iOS 19 to have a more simplified and translucent appearance, if these rumors are true.
Apple is expected to announce iOS 19 at WWDC 2025 in June.
