Apple’s iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 updates later this year will “fundamentally change” the look of Apple’s operating systems, introducing a more consistent cross-platform experience, reports Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
The revamp — due later this year — will fundamentally change the look of the operating systems and make Apple’s various software platforms more consistent, according to people familiar with the effort. That includes updating the style of icons, menus, apps, windows and system buttons.
Gurman says the company will simplify the way that users navigate and control their devices. The changes “go well beyond a new design language and aesthetic tweaks.” The design is “loosely based” on the Vision Pro’s software, Gurman’s sources told him.
The releases are said to be biggest update to iOS since iOS 7, and the biggest update to macOS since Big Sur.
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.
Apple is betting that a breakthrough new interface can help spur sales after a sluggish period. The company’s revenue slowed following the COVID-era surge in technology spending, and growth is only returning gradually.
Apple will provide a preview of the new design of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 at June’s 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference. We can expect the updates to be tested for several months over the summer, before seeing a public release in the fall.
