iOS 19 Design Changes Rumored to Extend to Apple TV and Apple Watch

[GeoStructural]

Apple needs to put "has the skills to actually innovate with new products," in the job description. As it is, the iPhone, Apple Watch (yes, it was in the plans before Steve died), the iPad, and the Mac have carried a company riddled in lawsuits, bad press, and buggy software.

I don’t think the issue is new products, if anything Apple needs to focus more on existing products, they have a fragmented line of iPads and Macs with “Air”, “Pro”, and number monikers thrown around all the time. Also a massively wasteful car project that never came to fruition. Then when the smart ring market took ever they didn’t even try because they knew they would not make a big buck out of it. And what about the services? Most of them suck, tame, half-baked, no stakes, uninteresting.

My biggest issue is that all of the Apple products I use (MacBook Pro, iPhone, iPad, iCloud) feel less refined, the software is the buggiest in a long time, and lots of promised features are either delayed or underwhelming. It has come to a point that I deliberate before updating the software, I give it time for bugs to be ironed out while in the past I just trusted Apple’s software. Not anymore.

 

[AlexESP]

They'll stick with an old, frail, never been innovative CEO because the shareholders make an extra $1 a share per quarter.

When Cook retires (even though he should've been fired about a decade ago), Apple needs to put "has the skills to actually innovate with new products," in the job description. As it is, the iPhone, Apple Watch (yes, it was in the plans before Steve died), the iPad, and the Mac have carried a company riddled in lawsuits, bad press, and buggy software.

Apple is a company that relies a lot on final customers. They have basically no way to do well financially without being liked by customers. The shareholders vs users dilemma is false. The reality is simply that Apple’s decisions seem to be more popular among customers than other companies’.

 

[darngooddesign]

I’m excited. I love OS refreshes.

 

[canadianreader]

Apple is a company that relies a lot on final customers. They have basically no way to do well financially without being liked by customers. The shareholders vs users dilemma is false. The reality is simply that Apple’s decisions seem to be more popular among customers than other companies’.

I think it’s other way around users are deeply invested and entrenched in the Apple ecosystem iDevices and thousands of dollars spent on apps and services. It’s loyalty out of necessity and distrust of other platforms like Android or Windows and Apple is counting on that.

 

[svish]

Not surprised to hear this. Expecting a similar design across all the different OS. Waiting to hear more about it soon!

 

[bluecoast]

WWDC is going to be make or break for Apple’s current state of direction.

If this was 2022, we’d all be very excited that iOS is getting a UX makeover (tbh I’m looking forward to it nonetheless).

But since the advent of ChatGPT 3.5, there’s been a sea change in tech and Apple are flailing.

Case in point. Even though the google io keynote was a bit flabby, you can’t deny the sheer innovation around AI that’s going on there.

So much so, that there was no mention of GWS, cloud etc - and android had its own mini presentation a week before.

Compare and contrast with Apple where they are likely to focus on the new Ux stuff - always Apple’s strength - to disguise how far they are falling behind with AI.

 

[sjsharksfan12]

They haven't done anything on TVOS for years. Yeah they might have had Insight and maybe added a row to the top shelf, but it's been more or less the same since Apple TV became a thing. I would love a total refresh.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Hmm, we'll see. I really don't care for transparency in OS layouts, and have always disabled it when possible.

 

[Lenny Pelullo Slade]

I was thinking the same thing and was trying out a Google Pixel 9 since last week. Returned it today.
As much as I want to like it - Android can’t compete with the fluidity, easy use and ecosystem of iOS. I‘m trapped

You get used to it. I’m an Apple user - deep into the ecosystem and have had an iPhone since 2008. I had a Pixel 7 Pro as a secondary phone and loved it. At first I had the same issues. It’s just different and takes time to adjust. I have a Pixel 9 Pro as my secondary now and I have the Android 16 beta on it and it’s gorgeous. For me it’s not the fluidity or ease of use, but the ecosystem that keeps me from fully switching 😒. I just have way too many other Apple products.

 

[flybass]

it seems like very poor timing to spend energy on a design refresh. Where are the AI features?

 

[nickf]

I mean, it's Gurman, so who knows, but making the macOS GUI more visionOS-like makes little sense to me. How many people are familiar with the latter? 10? 20?

As for AI, I can very much leave that. Zero interest.

 

[AusMness]

So we just gonna forget that - among a laundry list of reasons why a full redesign across every Apple OS will not work - that watchOS was redesigned less than two years ago?

 

[omenatarhuri]

Almost everything announced at Google I/O had * Absolutely nothing to do* with Android, so i’m not sure I understand the comparison.
Google I/O was almost entirely about Gemini (available on iOS) and search (also available on iOS along with literally everything).
The big android update for this year was, ironically, a UI redesign, just like Apple.

Maybe you’re right, I might projecting a bit too much from that. Thinking that the ecosystem as a whole would be equally exciting.

 

[omenatarhuri]

I was thinking the same thing and was trying out a Google Pixel 9 since last week. Returned it today.
As much as I want to like it - Android can’t compete with the fluidity, easy use and ecosystem of iOS. I‘m trapped

Haha, yeah I’ve felt the same way always. I think maybe this time but when I actually one of the android devices I feel like putting it away.

 

[TJFDenver]

I am looking forward to disabling auto-update and staying a full year behind the current

 

[teknikal90]

Apple needs a new chief. Tim can/should stay but he needs a new team around him.

 

[ZZ9pluralZalpha]

I don’t think the issue is new products, if anything Apple needs to focus more on existing products, they have a fragmented line of iPads and Macs with “Air”, “Pro”, and number monikers thrown around all the time. Also a massively wasteful car project that never came to fruition. Then when the smart ring market took ever they didn’t even try because they knew they would not make a big buck out of it. And what about the services? Most of them suck, tame, half-baked, no stakes, uninteresting.

My biggest issue is that all of the Apple products I use (MacBook Pro, iPhone, iPad, iCloud) feel less refined, the software is the buggiest in a long time, and lots of promised features are either delayed or underwhelming. It has come to a point that I deliberate before updating the software, I give it time for bugs to be ironed out while in the past I just trusted Apple’s software. Not anymore.

Just curious, what would you liked to have seen them add to the smart ring category? Most current ones just do the 'health monitoring sensors' segment of the Apple Watch's feature set, which makes them wholly redundant to a Watch.

 

[Dark_Omen]

Apple is a company that relies a lot on final customers. They have basically no way to do well financially without being liked by customers. The shareholders vs users dilemma is false. The reality is simply that Apple’s decisions seem to be more popular among customers than other companies’.

Mostly children who think Apple is "cool" and people that can't even figure out that the little button/toggle on the side of their phone is the reason it doesn't make noise when it rings.

 

[momskirbyok]

Wow, translucency… groundbreaking innovation right there! It’s staggering how a company like Apple, once revered and respected, has spiraled into the gutter this fast.

If WWDC ends up sucking, it’ll be the final nail in Apple’s coffin.

Huge agree. If we get more pre-rendered lies, it's over.

The Siri contextual awareness features NEED to be in beta 1 of iOS 19 or else it'll be a lost cause IMO. We can't keep doing the whole wait until x.3 before we get features.

 

[koelsh]

Adorable. Can we finally allow Apple TV to cache/download content to play locally or will it continue to play second fiddle to an iPad with an HDMI adapter?

 

[arthography]

It's about time we had a proper, very bold redesign. Fed up with little tweaks here and there. The watch UI in particular has become very stale.

I’d rather have the old watch interface. Make better use of the buttons, make it easier to see for people with astigmatism and maybe integrated it in a proper mechanic watch. Anyway there is too much crud in the UI at the moment.

 

[arthography]

I just want the simple photos app. The new one is fat and taking up way too much space on the normal iPhone, while barely offering new things. It’s stressful to go there these days. I want to do things. Wasn’t apple philosophy that the os should be invisible? It now took inspiration from windows os, an OS that screams at every click “I’m here, look at me”. Please just think that I need to do things and not admire the UI.

 

[arthography]

Huge agree. If we get more pre-rendered lies, it's over.

The Siri contextual awareness features NEED to be in beta 1 of iOS 19 or else it'll be a lost cause IMO. We can't keep doing the whole wait until x.3 before we get features.

As an older person I switch off all the UI fillers and increase font size to at least double the default. Translucency is useless except perhaps on a bigger screens.

 

[lk400]

I’m hoping this looks and functions as good as Windows Vista when it was released!

 

[TechWhisperer]

Huge agree. If we get more pre-rendered lies, it's over.

The Siri contextual awareness features NEED to be in beta 1 of iOS 19 or else it'll be a lost cause IMO. We can't keep doing the whole wait until x.3 before we get features.

Apple needs more than an enhanced Siri. It needs to deliver groundbreaking, next-generation technology that recaptures its innovative spirit. There was a time when Apple consistently amazed us, earning our genuine admiration with products that redefined entire categories. But under Tim Cook's leadership, the company seems to have prioritized shareholder returns over the bold vision that once captivated its most loyal customers.

The result is telling, Apple is increasingly overshadowed by more agile competitors who are pushing boundaries while Apple plays it safe. The fact that companies like OpenAI now generate more excitement and anticipation than Apple speaks volumes about how far the tech giant has drifted from its revolutionary roots.

It's a sobering reminder that even the mightiest can fall when they lose sight of what made them great in the first place.

On the other hand, this presents a prime opportunity to finally break free from Apple's ecosystem entirely.