Apple is preparing a major redesign with iOS 19, the next major version of the iPhone operating system, which will be presented on June 9 at the WWDC or Worldwide Developers Conference, and which promises one of the most significant aesthetic changes since the arrival of iOS 7.
According to a leak from the YouTube channel Front Page Tech, supported by alleged internal images from Apple itself, the new iPhone operating system will completely revamp its aesthetics, making it look more like visionOS.
This resemblance will be achieved through transparency, subtle brightness, and a floating interface feel. However, it remains to be seen whether this change of direction in visual terms will please Apple fans or leave many behind.
What iOS 19 will be like
As you can see in the video below, Apple is reportedly betting on a new style in which app icons have a rounded, almost circular style, although it seems not exactly in the same way as in visionOS, the operating system for the mixed virtual reality glasses, the Apple Vision Pro. Apparently, in iOS 19, the icons would come installed by default as we know them now, but by holding down on them, this new, more curvilinear aesthetic would be activated. Leaks are scarce so far in this regard, since Apple, as usual, tries to hide its changes until WWDC, although it is possible that during the months of April and May more reliable evidence of what the final version will be like will arrive.
But the new features don’t stop there, as another important change will involve a new, pill-shaped floating tab bar. This bar will appear in many native apps, such as the App Store, Apple Music, Messages, and the Phone app, and will play animations when switching tabs. In the case of the search engine, it will integrate a longer search bar with a circular button on the left to return to the main menu. In the Messages app, for example, this bar is always present, making navigation more accessible from any point in the conversation.
Rounded elements will be found throughout the system, from Haptic Touch pop-up menus to volume and brightness controls in Control Center, to the new camera and microphone permissions windows. Everything adapts to this more fluid, rounded aesthetic, and, according to the leaker, with a finish reminiscent of polished glass. The new iOS 19 seems to aim for a sense of visual lightness without losing functionality.
When is iOS 19 released?
The keyboard will also undergo a redesign, with smoother lines and a more minimalist feel. The same goes for the toggles in the Settings app, which will be thinner, in line with the rest of the elements. It all fits into a visual narrative where the interface appears to “float” over the content, something Apple has already worked on in previous products, but now it would take it to a new level.
And as for the overall look of the system, we’ll see a lighting effect applied to certain system elements. This will cause the flashlight or camera icon, for example, on the lock screen, to glow slightly when you move the iPhone, creating a dynamic reflection that simulates the behavior of light on a glass surface. Details with Apple’s signature.
The first official look at iOS 19 will arrive during the WWDC keynote on June 9. Developers will be able to download the first beta version that same day, and if the usual schedule is met, the final version will be released in September alongside the new iPhone 17 models.
