New look of iOS 19: How glassy should it be?
Apple's next iPhone operating system is said to have undergone a major overhaul. However, people in the Apple scene are not sure what this actually means.
UI elements from visionOS: model for iOS 19?
(Image: Apple)
With iOS 7, Apple last carried out a really big redesign of its iPhone interface. That was almost 12 years ago. Back then, the once skeuomorphic design, which quoted elements from the real world, was transformed into a flatter, more modern look. With iOS 19 – at least according to speculation – another redesign is now on the horizon, allegedly on a par with iOS 7. But rumor mongers are arguing about exactly what the new iPhone software look will look like. In particular, the question of how significant the changes will be is controversial.
More like visionOS, but how much?
The often reliable Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman claimed that this is supposedly the biggest redesign of iOS, iPadOS and macOS in the company's history. This is because not only iOS, but also the operating systems for iPad and Mac are to be changed and possibly standardized. The look is to be – at least partially – based on the rounder and more transparent elements of visionOS, the operating system of the Vision Pro. There will be more transparency, depth effects and transparent virtual glass. The colors, on the other hand, will apparently be reduced.
Meanwhile, the not uncontroversial leaker Jon Prosser published a "first look" at iOS 19 based on renderings, which turned out to be rather disappointing. The mockups show rather simple changes, such as a rounder keyboard, app menus with rounded edges that float, and a redesigned lock screen with more 3D-like, "glassy" buttons. Prosser ultimately leaves open whether there will also be round icons on the home screen in the future.
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Render "not representative"
Meanwhile, Gurman responded in a post on Threads to the images "floating around the web" without naming Prosser specifically. The images are "not representative of what we will see at WWDC". Apple announced its developer conference this week for June 9, 2025. This is where the new operating systems are traditionally presented.
The Bloomberg journalist went on to write that the look appears to be based on "very old builds or vague descriptions", with a lack of key new features. "We can expect more from Apple in June." It is still unclear what all this means for macOS. Apple did slightly overhaul its look with macOS Big Sur in 2020, but ultimately did not bring it into line with iOS and iPadOS.
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