WWDC 2025 is just two weeks away as of today, with Apple's opening keynote scheduled for Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
During the keynote, Apple is expected to announce iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, watchOS 12, tvOS 19, visionOS 3, and other software updates, along with new Apple Intelligence features. In some years, there are also hardware announcements at WWDC, but there are no rumors yet about new devices being on deck for this year's conference.
Below, we recap key iOS 19 rumors to know about as the developer conference nears.
The first beta of iOS 19 should be seeded to developers immediately after the WWDC keynote, and the update is expected to be released in September.
New Design With Floating Tab Bar
iOS 19 is expected to introduce a new design that looks more like the visionOS operating system on the Apple Vision Pro headset.
According to Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser, iOS 19 will have a glass-like appearance, with added translucency for menus, buttons, and more. He also expects a new floating tab bar to be shown at the bottom of some of Apple's built-in apps.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also expects iOS 19 to have a visionOS-like design, and he said the design changes would be the biggest since iOS 7.
The design changes should extend to iPadOS 19, macOS 16, watchOS 12, and tvOS 19.
Stage Manager for iPhones
In April, a leaker known as Majin Bu claimed that iOS 19 will enable support for at least a limited version of Stage Manager on iPhone models with a USB-C port.
In a blog post citing sources, the leaker said that when an iPhone with a USB-C port is connected to an external display, users will be able to take advantage of a Stage Manager-like interface with multiple apps open at once on the screen. However, he said that there might be more limitations compared to Stage Manager on iPads.
iPhone models with a USB-C port include all iPhone 15 models and newer.
iPhones with both Lightning and USB-C ports can already be connected to external displays, but only for basic screen mirroring.
New Battery Mode
iOS 19 will include a new AI-powered battery management mode for all iPhone models that are compatible with the software update, according to Gurman. He said this enhancement will "analyze how a person uses their device and make adjustments to conserve energy," paving the way for longer battery life.
End-to-End Encryption for RCS
In March, Apple said that it plans to add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to the Messages app in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS software updates. That likely means iOS 19, macOS 16, and other corresponding updates.
Apple promising end-to-end encryption for RCS messages indirectly confirms that it will be adopting the RCS Universal Profile 3.0 specification, which also includes several iMessage-like enhancements that were originally introduced in version 2.7 of the specification. iOS 18 supports RCS Universal Profile 2.4.
Here are five new capabilities to expect for RCS conversations on iOS 19:
- End-to-end encryption, which will prevent Apple and any other third party from being able to read messages and attachments while they are being sent between devices
- In-line replies
- Edit messages
- Unsend messages
- Full-fledged Tapback support for RCS messages, ensuring they always work
Apple has not indicated which iOS version will upgrade RCS, but iOS 19 or a follow-up update like iOS 19.1 or iOS 19.2 seems like a safe bet.
New Accessibility Features
Earlier this month, Apple previewed new accessibility features that are expected to debut across iOS 19 and other software updates.
An overview of some of the new features... Click here to read rest of article
Article Link: WWDC is Just Two Weeks Away: Here Are the Biggest iOS 19 Rumors
