iOS 19 Beta is a Month Away With These New Features for Your iPhone

[MacRumors]

The first iOS 19 beta is just one month away, and there are already many new features and changes that are expected with it.

Apple should seed the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September.

Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors so far.

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 other user interface elements. He also expects rounder app icons, and a new floating tab bar in Apple apps.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also expects iOS 19 to have a visionOS-like design, and he believes the design changes will be the biggest since iOS 7.

Stage Manager for iPhones

Last month, 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.

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

iMessage conversations with blue bubbles have supported end-to-end encryption by default since iOS 5. In addition, iMessage has supported in-line replies since iOS 14, while the options to edit and unsend iMessages were introduced with iOS 16.

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.

Live Translate With AirPods

At least some AirPods models will be getting a new live translation feature with iOS 19 and an accompanying firmware update, according to Gurman.

Here is how that feature will work, according to his report:

The capability will work like this: If an English speaker is hearing someone talk in Spanish, the iPhone will translate the speech and relay it to the user's AirPods in English. The English speaker's words, meanwhile, will be translated into Spanish and played back by the iPhone.

Google already offers a similar Live Translate feature.

He also said iOS 19 will have bolstered translation capabilities, which likely means improvements are coming to the Apple Translate app.

Revamped Health App With Coaching Feature

A revamped Health app is expected to debut as early as iOS 19.4 next year.

Apple plans to offer a new AI-powered health coaching feature that offers personalized health recommendations, according to Gurman. The information provided by the coaching feature would be accompanied by videos from health experts that inform users about various health conditions and ways to make lifestyle improvements. For example, if the Apple Watch tracks poor heart-rate trends, a video could explain the risks of heart disease.

Food tracking will be another big part of the revamped Health app, which could compete with the MyFitnessPal app, according to Gurman.

Personalized Siri

In March, Apple delayed the more personalized version of Siri that it previewed at WWDC last year. The company said it anticipated rolling out the Siri upgrades at some point "in the coming year," so the features could launch as part of iOS 19 later this year. However, they could also arrive as part of a later update, such as iOS 19.1 through iOS 19.4.

Whenever they launch, the Siri upgrades will include understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app cont... Click here to read rest of article

Article Link: iOS 19 Beta is a Month Away With These New Features for Your iPhone

 

[MacUser16.]

I’m really hoping Apple does everything right and doesn’t delay anything again

 

[cicalinarrot]

We've always known the ecosystem was just anti-competitive practice.
There's absolutely no need to lock competitors out when you make stuff that works well together.
Thanks, EU.

 

[AppleFan91]

Im asking for just 2 things at this point:
- Split Screen in iOS
- Better keyboard, preferably with a number row at the top, but please, better autocorrect.

I’d love a better Siri, but I don’t want to aim too high here.

 

[Donkey Man]

So let’s see the new “features”:
- VisionPro-like UI - in other words, unnecessarily replicating the excessive transparency of an AR market failure in non-AR devices - fail;
- Stage Manager - an unmitigated UI disaster that should never be put in iOS;
- RCS encryption - what for if most operators don’t even offer RCS anyway?
- Live translation - you mean as smart as Siri or Apple Imbecility? No, thanks;
- Improved Health app - 99% of the world doesn’t even know where that app is;
- Personalized Siri - no further comments.

At this point, even new Emojis seem more useful than the fluff above - time for Tim to embrace a comedian career in Hollywood.

 

[Bustycat]

Oh no where's Apple Intelligence?

 

[rp2011]

Yay, skinnier fonts

 

[Lyrics23]

Looks like the best updates are all reserved for the EU.

 

[maszaikasza]

So let’s see the new “features”:
- VisionPro-like UI - in other words, unnecessarily replicating the excessive transparency of an AR market failure in non-AR devices - fail;
- Stage Manager - an unmitigated UI disaster that should never be put in iOS;
- RCS encryption - what for if most operators don’t even offer RCS anyway?
- Live translation - you mean as smart as Siri or Apple Imbecility? No, thanks;
- Improved Health app - 99% of the world doesn’t even know where that app is;
- Personalized Siri - no further comments.

At this point, even new Emojis seem more useful than the fluff above - time for Tim to embrace a comedian career in Hollywood.

Harsh. What changes to iOS 19 would you choose?

 

[jarman92]

End-to-End Encryption for RCS

I'd be happy with RCS that actually works 🙄

RCS encryption - what for if most operators don’t even offer RCS anyway?

The overwhelming majority of carriers in the US, Canada, Europe, and China do offer RCS, so not sure what you're talking about. And even if they didn't, that's the carrier's issue, not Apple's. And Apple should be making RCS better for the millions who have it.

 

[DocMultimedia]

Please go back to the iOS 6 days. A dozen translucent menu bars floating around does nothing for older people that don't have 20/20 vision.

 

[ZipZilla]

The RCS updates are all I care about. I've given up on Siri actually working my lifetime

 

[SactoGuy18]

I still wonder if Apple decides to abandon the iOS 19's planned UI changes and make iOS 19 like MacOS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, where the emphasis on better memory management and battery life management. I also see the following changes possible:

1. Total revamp of the App Store app where up to eight different app stores can be part of the app.
2. True third-party access to the NFC chip for non-contact payments.
3. A new Headphones app where all the controls of wireless and USB Type C wired headphones are controlled through this app. This will allow better integration with third-party wireless headphones besides Apple and Beats branded models.

 

[podycust]

wish Vodafone UK would get their act together and support RCS!

 

[dominiongamma]

wish Vodafone UK would get their act together and support RCS!

The U.K. is so behind ironically from the place setting all the rules for Apple too

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I still wonder if Apple decides to abandon the iOS 19's planned UI changes and make iOS 19 like MacOS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, where the emphasis on better memory management and battery life management.

The myth and reality of Mac OS X Snow Leopard

Also, no.
Why would they?
It’s arguable that recent releases of macOS have actually been *smaller* than Snow Leopard anyway.
There was a bigger difference between Leopard and Snow Leopard than there was between Big Sur and Monterey or between Sonoma and sequoia.
The reason “Snow Leopard” was what it was was because so much of the operating system had to be rewritten for 64 bit and PowerPC support was removed.

 

[winxmac]

[2012] Windows 8 switches to 2D icons [Start Screen] from 3D icons of Windows Vista and Windows 7
[2013] iOS 7 switches to 2D icons from 3D icons of iOS 6 and older

[2021] Windows 11 slowly brought back 3D elements in some parts of the UI
[2025] iOS 19 seemingly bringing back 3D elements in some parts of the UI

 

[phuklok1]

please bring the music app into the 2020s:

we need a real graphic equalizer, not presets​

​

we need the eq to save settings independently for each bluetooth or output device.​

​

we need swipe controls for skipping​

some trivial non music improvements:

would also be nice to have a next music track button in map​

​

please separate the music app from IOS updates so it can be see more development, safari should be a separate app as well and not locked to IOS cycles like all other browsers and platforms​

​

respect the setting to not have notifications - if i state i do not want notifications for my shortcuts, please respect that instead of ignoring it.​

 

[Bones402]

Don't overdo it Apple. Take a deep breath.

 

[neimovirne]

one word - useless

 

[bluecoast]

Please bring the coffin prop from the old Steve jobs keynote when talking about stage manager.

I’m going to be interested as to how they handle the botched development of Siri & I’m not going to beeline anything unless I see some live demoes with credible reporters and bloggers etc verifying this.

And the fact at a developer conference they have just said that they want to claw back the recent changes. Not a good look.

 

[cocky jeremy]

I’m really hoping Apple does everything right and doesn’t delay anything again

It literally says the update to the Health app is expected "as early as 19.4" so good luck with that. lol.

 

[mountain.spider]

Hopefully it revitalizes everything. The whole AI disaster really made me wonder what was going on with Apple? It may not seem important or trivial because it's just another AI put onto the iPhone, but I really wanted Siri to be competitive. The constant flipping to ChatGPT/delay gets annoying even with basic question it can't answer.

I wasn't around when Siri first debuted, but I heard from people that apparently it worked better when it was connected to the Internet and somehow App neutered it.

 

[N0ughtsAndCr0sses]

I’m really hoping Apple does everything right and doesn’t delay anything again

I was thinking of the same beginning for my Sci-fi novel.

You beat me to it… tut tut…

 

[repoman016]

Harsh. What changes to iOS 19 would you choose?

I would like to see them stop enabling new features by default. I understand why they do it.....Focus has bugged out so many times for me and I've never used it once, but people used to ask "why are you silencing your notifications?"
I stopped sharing across all devices. Removed any focus that was pre installed. Unfortunately you can't remove the DND from focus or that would be gone too but it will still pop up randomly. (I think I've finally fixed it though and hasn't happend in awhile)