iOS 19 Will Bring Biggest Design Overhaul Since iOS 7

[bmark]

I’m likely to believe it a lot more now mainly because Apple has been hinting at it themselves.
Recent additions like the action button settings page, the sports and Invitations app and the recent photos redesign, as noted by others, don’t really fit into the iOS 7 design at all.
Also, the design changes that were being suggested last year for iOS 18 actually happened, the revamped control center and being able to place your icons anywhere were the two biggest rumors and those two things actually happened.
Also, Apple has slowly but surely been rolling out that frosted glass look throughout the rest of their operating systems, like the TV app sidebar.
I get that it’s pretty easy to dismiss all of this talk, but there is quite a bit of evidence pointing towards it being likely.

Apple hinting at anything means nothing! Look at Apple Siri 0.1 still operating on its last screw.

 

[rafark]

Yes please! A redesign is long overdue. Not because there is anything particular wrong with the current design but because I’m tired of seeing the same ui every day. Looking forward to a redesign. This is actually exciting!

 

[jdawgnoonan]

I am hoping for anything at all that is not Apple Intelligence. But the nicest things would be third party browser engines (which will not happen), more desktop class apps on iPadOS, and improvements to StageManager. The biggest letdown to me last year was no major improvements to iPad to justify the M4.

 

[rafark]

If Apple dumbs down MacOS to be more iOS-like, I’m going back to pencil, paper, and a slide rule.

Many people here hated the new macOS look (post 2020) but I love it. (It looks gorgeous on my m1 air). Maybe because they’re blinded by nostalgia (my first version was Yosemite)

 

[q64ceo]

Can't wait to see what they've got.

I will admit that I do miss the Leopard era UI that Apple used. Was so beautiful.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

There was much hatred for the photos app redesign in iOS 18

Apple doesn’t care I’m sorry to say.
As someone said earlier…

Going out on a limb: people are going to hate it…until they like it.

And that is exactly how Apple moves.
Previous examples: the jump from FinalCut Pro 7 to X, the jump from iMovie HD to iMovie 2008, iOS 6 to 7, Mac OS 9 to X.
Apple moves forward, people eventually grow to love some of it and like other parts less.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Apple hinting at anything means nothing! Look at Apple Siri 0.1 still operating on its last screw.

No idea what this means but okay.

 

[klasma]

its clear that the intent is to make the interconnectedness of the operating systems more intuitive and apparent.
in order to do this and for usabiility sake, the design language needs to be consistent between the operating systems.

the result will be able to make it less apparent (less important) that there are indeed separate operating systems on each device.

That doesn’t make much sense, because these are different device categories for a reason, with different affordances. Increasing the consistency of the user interface within a device category would make sense (there are a lot of inconsistencies that could be fixed, and UI conventions streamlined), but trying to unify the UI between device categories only leads it to be less suited to each individual device category. Microsoft demonstrated this by trying to turn desktop Windows into a mobile and tablet UI.

To be fair, I wish the UI of apps would be more consistent between iPhone and iPad. The same actions/icons are often on the top or left on one but on the bottom or right on the other. It messes up muscle memory when using the same apps between devices.

 

[AppleTO]

I guess I’m one of the only ones who doesn’t find iOS to be buggy. In fact, my phone is working great on the current iOS version. 14 Pro.

 

[klasma]

If they do round icons for macOS and iOS they have properly lost the plot. Rounded rectangles and squares are the brand identity.

Round icons in a square screen are the sort of braindead tasteless crap I’d expect from Android. Maybe it’s fine in Vision Pro but on a square screen I don’t want.

It reminds me of the 5C cases:

 

[HazeAndHahmahneez]

Bring it! I wouldn’t say iOS looks tired but it’s time for some changes in general OS design. It’s not like Google or Samsung are doing anything about it.

?? Doing anything about what? Not sure exactly what you’re saying here. Peace.

 

[markgpearse]

If it's based on Vision OS does that mean we will have to wear goggles when we use our laptops, phones and iPads?

 

[Chungry]

its clear that the intent is to make the interconnectedness of the operating systems more intuitive and apparent.
in order to do this and for usabiility sake, the design language needs to be consistent between the operating systems.

the result will be able to make it less apparent (less important) that there are indeed separate operating systems on each device.

this is great news.

and yes, if the general direction it takes is the visionOS-ification of organisation and icons, the result should be beautiful.

what you're describing is the opposite of thoughtful UI/UX design. Design is how it works as a smart guy once said 😉 forcing even a round peg into a square hole is a terrible design at best. At the worst it's actively hostile to the user. Look to the MacOS system prefs for a glimpse of things to come if what you describe comes to pass.

 

[germinator]

Yes, scary. Afraid they are going to mess up. I have no confidence in the current macOS team.

 

[garranhado]

I'm excited, in fact the OSs needed a big update, even for some things they weren't beautiful or consistent.

I believe that this change is being prepared for 4-5 years gaining greater strength in the last 1-2 years.

Let's wait to see

 

[fockx]

Honestly, I would welcome this. I've always disliked the boring and flat design they've given us after iOS 6. I'll take the abundance of new bugs (and old) it will introduce if at least it looks pretty.

 

[attila]

Can't be worse than iOS7, so I'm a little excited!

 

[JohnLuke]

Honestly, I would welcome this. I've always disliked the boring and flat design they've given us after iOS 6. I'll take the abundance of new bugs (and old) it will introduce if at least it looks pretty.

I hope they report the depth that iOS 6 had. So tired of this flat design

 

[attila]

Always refreshing getting a new UI, though we were expecting this thru some rumors for a while now. With their latest issues with Apple Intelligence, I assume this will be the shiny new toy at WWDC.

Honestly, a refreshed UI is leagues more useful, interesting, and fun than the AI slop which is "Apple Intelligence".

 

[attila]

I hope they report the depth that iOS 6 had. So tired of this flat design

iOS7 was "flat design" done wrong. Flat can be nice if done well.

However, I much prefer the personality and soul iOS6 had, indeed. We didn't then, but we now have over 200 DPI and really powerful GPUs. Would be nice to put that into good use! I'm dreaming of something towards "neumorphism".

 

[attila]

Hasn't this been rumored for years now? Given how behind Apple is on AI, this seems like odd prioritization.

Traditionally, Apple has been much better at design than Siri, though

 

[Anaxarxes]

Here wishing an Apple-wide (macOS, iPadOS, tvOS, iOS, watchOS, audioOS) Snow Leopard cycle.

Maybe appleOS 20 cycle will do this.

 

[TydalForce]

Please just bring back visual contrast between UI elements

 

[SmugMaverick]

Finally....

Just goes to show that low sales and media mocking of the same phone year after year finally forced apples hand.

New iPhone designs and iOS UI in the same year... what a time to be alive.

 

[Pruus]

Clickbait, clickbait this is. Really new. Only Rumors, yikes. We need software with lesser bugs, not more or new bugs.