Rumor: iOS 19, iPadOS 19 and macOS 16 bringing major Vision Pro-inspired redesign
Apple is rumored to be bringing a vision Pro-inspired redesign to the iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 software programs that power its iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices.
The next phase of software updates kicking off with iOS 19, iPadOS 19 and macOS 16 this fall is rumored to dramatically overhaul user interfaces on iPhones, iPads and Macs. The changes are said to go “well beyond” aesthetic tweaks and include refreshed looks across icons, menus, apps, windows and system buttons.
iOS 19 and iPadOS 19 are said to represent the biggest revamp since iOS 7 in 2013. MacOS 16 is being described as the most significant upgrade to the Mac since the Big Sur operating system in 2020. The effort is apparently led by Apple’s software design lead, Alan Dye, who helped design the watchOS software and redesign iOS 7.
Rumor: iOS 19 and macOS 16 bringing a major redesign
As part of the push, the company is working to simplify the way users navigate and control their devices, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the project hasn’t been announced. The design is loosely based on the Vision Pro’s software, they said.
This isn’t the first time Gurman has mentioned a visionOS-inspired design overhaul of the iPhone’s software. In February 2024, he claimed that iOS 18 would include some of the design elements from the Vision Pro operating system.
But the Israeli publication The Verifier beat Gurman to this claim by more than two weeks. In the prior month, Gurman wrote that Apple’s leadership considered iOS 18 “one of the biggest iOS updates—if not the biggest—in the company’s history.”
Another excerpt from today’s Bloomberg piece:
Apple is betting that a breakthrough new interface can help spur demand after a sluggish stretch. Its revenue slowed following a pandemic-era surge in technology spending, and growth is only returning gradually. Apple’s iPhone—its biggest moneymaker—suffered a surprise dip in sales during the most recent holiday season.
Apple is certainly not betting that the design overhaul will boost demand, just as the Great Flattening in iOS 7 back in 2013 didn’t spur demand. It’s just software, and existing devices will get it, so there will be no incentive for anyone to upgrade just to get the fresh new interfaces.
This on visionOS-inspired changed:
VisionOS differs from iOS and macOS in the use of circular app icons, a simplified approach to windows, translucent panels for navigation, and a more prominent use of 3D depth and shadows. But the Vision Pro’s more immersive experience—and use of a hand-gesture interface—means that some elements won’t apply to the 2D world of iOS and macOS.
Apple will preview iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16 and other software updates at its Worldwide Developers Conference this June. The design changes are said to “fundamentally change” the look of these operating systems to make them more consistent.
“A key goal of the overhaul is to make Apple’s different operating systems look similar and more consistent,” said Gurman. “Right now, the applications, icons and window styles vary across macOS, iOS and visionOS. That can make it jarring to hop from one device to another.”
If you care about these things, Gurman says iOS and iPadOS 19 are codenamed “Luck,” while macOS 16 is codenamed “Cheer.” One thing is pretty much certain at this point: an AI-infused Siri likely won’t be part of the upgrades.
Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/03/10/apple-ios-19-macos-16-redesign-inspired-by-vision-pro/
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