Apple is planning to make enormous design changes to iOS 19 & macOS 16

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in iOS edited March 10

It's been a while since we've seen a dramatic overhaul on any of Apple's operating systems, but we could see the biggest ones in years as soon as WWDC.

Rounded square icon with gradient background, featuring the number 19 in bold white text, blending blue and pink hues.
iOS 19 is due this fall



Apple is gearing up to overhaul its operating systems in hopes of making its platforms more cohesive. The idea is that the change should make the platforms feel familiar to people coming from one device to another.

The new updates are expected to come later in 2025 according to Bloomberg. Apple will update its icons, menus, apps, windows, and system buttons.

Sources told Bloomberg the design is loosely based on visionOS, the operating system on the Apple Vision Pro. The revamp to iOS 19 and iPadOS 19 is codenamed "Luck," while macOS 16 is dubbed "Cheer."

It seems as though this will be the biggest refresh to the Mac operating system since 2020 with the advent of Big Sur, and the iPhone since iOS 7.

The changes will allegedly go much further than aesthetic tweaks. The report claims that user interfaces will change -- but without a merge that's happened elsewhere.

For those who are hopeful that they'll see the iPad adopt macOS, don't get too excited. The company still plans on keeping the devices separate -- after all, it still wants customers to own both.

If the report is accurate, we'll see many of the changes profiled at WWDC 2025, which will presumably take place this June.

The move reportedly aims to recapture some of its Pandemic-era sales. While Apple saw incredible growth in 2021, its numbers haven't been nearly as good since. However, it seems as though the company is already beginning to see a rebound.

As Bloomberg points out, even though the design change has probably been a long time coming, it might be a good distraction from the less-than-perfect Apple Intelligence launch.

Just last week, Apple confirmed it would not be launching its new, more personalized Siri in iOS 18.4. While it's possible that we may see the improved Siri in iOS 19, it's just as likely that Apple could hold off even longer.



Read on AppleInsider

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  • Reply 1 of 28
    Joharjohar Posts: 21member
    I have this terrible feeling that MacOS will be dumbed down in order to make it "easier to navigate" for iPhone users. Like when a much used website suddenly is remade with a "mobile first" design approach. Everything becomes huge and space wasting for users with a big screen.
    williamlondonHedwaredecoderringForumPostdanoxskippingrock
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  • Reply 2 of 28
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,782member
    Johar said:
    I have this terrible feeling that MacOS will be dumbed down in order to make it "easier to navigate" for iPhone users. Like when a much used website suddenly is remade with a "mobile first" design approach. Everything becomes huge and space wasting for users with a big screen.
    "I have this terrible feeling that MacOS will be dumbed down in order to make it "easier to navigate" for iPhone users." => of course
    williamlondonForumPost
     1Like 1Dislike 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 28
    maltzmaltz Posts: 529member
    I really hope this article is vastly overstating what is planned, because this sort of thing is usually a terrible idea.  Beyond some basic things like having similar settings in similar places (which they've already standardized) there's no reason for it - they're different things.  Everyone should have learned this lesson with Windows 8 - Microsoft did.

    I don't have any trouble using both a car and a lawnmower.  I can figure out how to use two things.

    (Trying to recapture pandemic sales is even more stupid.  That was a one-off even that made some industries boom temporarily, often to their short-term detriment down the road.  Someone pushing up their laptop upgrade because they suddenly work from home doesn't buy a new laptop 1-2 years later when they normally would have.  If that's really what's behind this, I worry for Apple's basic business sense.)
    williamlondon
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  • Reply 4 of 28
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,782member
    maltz said:
    I really hope this article is vastly overstating what is planned, because this sort of thing is usually a terrible idea.  Beyond some basic things like having similar settings in similar places (which they've already standardized) there's no reason for it - they're different things.  Everyone should have learned this lesson with Windows 8 - Microsoft did.

    I don't have any trouble using both a car and a lawnmower.  I can figure out how to use two things.

    (Trying to recapture pandemic sales is even more stupid.  That was a one-off even that made some industries boom temporarily, often to their short-term detriment down the road.  Someone pushing up their laptop upgrade because they suddenly work from home doesn't buy a new laptop 1-2 years later when they normally would have.  If that's really what's behind this, I worry for Apple's basic business sense.)

    "Apple Inc. is preparing one of the most dramatic software overhauls in the company’s history, aiming to transform the interface of the iPhone, iPad and Mac for a new generation of users.

    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.

    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 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.

    The changes are coming as part of iOS 19 and iPadOS 19 — code-named “Luck” — and macOS 16, which is dubbed “Cheer.” They go well beyond a new design language and aesthetic tweaks. The software will mark the most significant upgrade to the Mac since the Big Sur operating system in 2020. For the iPhone, it will be the biggest revamp since iOS 7 in 2013.

    The updates are poised to be a highlight at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June — and could help distract from the company’s tumultuous push into artificial intelligence. Last week, Apple indefinitely delayed its AI upgrades for the Siri digital assistant, confirming a Bloomberg News report that the enhancements were in jeopardy.

    A key goal of the overhaul is to make Apple’s different operating systems look similar and more consistent. 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.

    Still, Apple is stopping short of merging its operating systems — a step other tech giants have taken. The company believes it can make better Macs and iPads by keeping their operating systems separate. Another benefit for Apple is it encourages consumers to buy both devices, rather than getting by with one.

    Apple’s visionOS, meanwhile, was developed for its mixed-reality headset — a device that melds virtual and augmented reality. That product hasn’t sold well since its debut last year, but the software has innovative touches that will ultimately spread to other devices.

    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.

    The upgrade has become a major focus for Apple’s software engineering organization, as well as the user interface team within the company’s larger design group."

    [URL unfurl="true"]https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-10/apple-readies-dramatic-design-overhauls-for-ios-19-ipados-19-and-macos-16?srnd=undefined&sref=9hGJlFio&leadSource=reddit_wall[/URL]



    edited March 10
    williamlondon
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  • Reply 5 of 28
    kkqd1337kkqd1337 Posts: 500member
    The vast majority of users hate significant changes And iOS doesn’t need radical changes. Just tweaks.

    iPadOS on the other hand needs a total rethink. They are neither used or priced as ‘companion’ devices 
    SmittyWwilliamlondon
     0Likes 2Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 28
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,973member
    iOS needs a big fix release. Ever since they included Apple Intelligence my iPhone has been buggy as hell with just misc stupid shit, especially in iMessage. I wish they'd do this rather than an overhaul of something nobody asked for. 
    edited March 10
    kkqd1337HedwareMacProdanoxwilliamlondon
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  • Reply 7 of 28
    I wish they would bring back the traditional macOS title bar,
    Just the traffic lights on the left, window title in the middle,
    *with a well defined place to grab it*
    ForumPostdewmewilliamlondon
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  • Reply 8 of 28
    ForumPostforumpost Posts: 106member
    Don’t give me that vision OS rounded icon on my iPhone Tim!
    williamlondon
     0Likes 1Dislike 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 28
    michelb76michelb76 Posts: 727member
    As a shareholder, I wish apple would just go silent for 2 years and go 'snow leopard' on ALL of their products.
    jeffharrisskippingrock
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  • Reply 10 of 28
    Can Apple PLEASE make UI elements fully SCALABLE for high resolution monitors! 
    PLEASE!

    I recently upgraded to a 27” 4K monitor and it’s a nightmare. 

    Dialogue Boxes are postage stamp sized.
    Menu Bar Items and text are all tiny.
    Text on various application palettes are barely readable.

    I’ve had to increase text and icon size in the Finder, but the Menu Bar and menus are tiny!
    Finder prefs only work for ONE window. Size changes need to be applied to EVERY window I open.

    If I go MacBook Pro without the external monitor, Finder elements are too big.

    Apple has been promising scalable UI forever. Will they ever deliver?
    SmittyWwilliamlondon
     0Likes 1Dislike 1Informative
  • Reply 11 of 28
    Can Apple PLEASE make UI elements fully SCALABLE for high resolution monitors! 
    PLEASE!

    I recently upgraded to a 27” 4K monitor and it’s a nightmare. 

    Dialogue Boxes are postage stamp sized.
    Menu Bar Items and text are all tiny.
    Text on various application palettes are barely readable.

    I’ve had to increase text and icon size in the Finder, but the Menu Bar and menus are tiny!
    Finder prefs only work for ONE window. Size changes need to be applied to EVERY window I open.

    If I go MacBook Pro without the external monitor, Finder elements are too big.

    Apple has been promising scalable UI forever. Will they ever deliver?
    I feel your pain. My daughter purchased a m2 Mac Mini when it first came out out. She used it with a second hand Display until it failed. Money was tight so she went with a Samsung smart display. She ended up taking the Mini to the store and asking their tech manager to fix the display or replace it with something else. It took the manager nearly two hours of fiddling around with display settings to eventually get it setup correctly. When you connect to an Apple monitor it just automatically sets itself up but another brand needs manual settings to make it work and they are in many different places. It can be accomplished through so keep trying. 
    muthuk_vanalingamSmittyWwilliamlondon
     2Likes 1Dislike 0Informatives
  • Reply 12 of 28
    IMO, the design changes are related to visors/glasses being the future of computing. The advantage to having postage stamp sized screens that create the visual experience of multiple screens or gigantic screens while allowing mobility is obviously superior to the standard that currently exists. Apple is starting the transition to that future. Not saying it's right around the corner, but more like within the next 10 years or so. 
    paisleydiscoSmittyWwilliamlondon
     3Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 28
    Can Apple PLEASE make UI elements fully SCALABLE for high resolution monitors! 
    PLEASE!

    I recently upgraded to a 27” 4K monitor and it’s a nightmare. 

    Dialogue Boxes are postage stamp sized.
    Menu Bar Items and text are all tiny.
    Text on various application palettes are barely readable.

    I’ve had to increase text and icon size in the Finder, but the Menu Bar and menus are tiny!
    Finder prefs only work for ONE window. Size changes need to be applied to EVERY window I open.

    If I go MacBook Pro without the external monitor, Finder elements are too big.

    Apple has been promising scalable UI forever. Will they ever deliver?
    Apple added UI scaling with the release of retina display products. 

    https://appleinsider.com/inside/macos/tips/what-is-display-scaling-on-mac-and-why-you-probably-shouldnt-worry-about-it
    williamlondon
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 14 of 28
    Dear Apple.
    Please remove the TotalRecall-like, never-clearing endless gallery of private screenshots of long-forgotten apps that I have been using weeks and months ago on iPaidOS. Make it fair and square. App unloaded=screenshot gone from the app carousel. If someone wants many many apps pseudo-alive, let them buy a device with more RAM.
    neoncatwilliamlondonskippingrock
     0Likes 3Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 15 of 28
    I just want more ShortCut actions for the Apple apps as they are so limited. Also better spam detection. Please have expiration for iMessage on a per thread/person basis. 
    www1111222williamlondon
     1Like 1Dislike 0Informatives
  • Reply 16 of 28
    I feel your pain. My daughter purchased a m2 Mac Mini when it first came out out. She used it with a second hand Display until it failed. Money was tight so she went with a Samsung smart display. She ended up taking the Mini to the store and asking their tech manager to fix the display or replace it with something else. It took the manager nearly two hours of fiddling around with display settings to eventually get it setup correctly. When you connect to an Apple monitor it just automatically sets itself up but another brand needs manual settings to make it work and they are in many different places. It can be accomplished through so keep trying. 
    Odd. My MBP is connected two dual LG 4K displays and I’ve literally had no issues. I could force my Mac into a native resolution, in which case I’d have tiny everything, but that’s certainly not the default. One would have to explicitly select that display resolution. It’s also quite simple to select a non-HiDP resolution to resolve the problem.
    MacProwilliamlondon
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 17 of 28
    MacPromacpro Posts: 19,871member
    I confess I have always thought there are too many idiosyncratic differences between platforms that could be ironed out.  I just hope they don’t dumb down the Mac although a choice of simple or full might work; Simple to be designed for iPhone users, new to a Mac.   I want the full interface to be available.  There is always Terminal, I guess!
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 18 of 28
    MacPromacpro Posts: 19,871member
    OK maybe we are all assuming the wrong direction ;)

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 19 of 28
    Yes! Bring it on.

    AVP UI elements? Sounds good to me!
    apple4thewinSmittyW
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 20 of 28
    I know some people will hate this change, but I think this is great. By 2020, most updates for UI and app icons became more professional/basic and flat, so a refresh would be good, especially since the few times I trialed the VP, I enjoyed the more glassy, polished 3D look for applications, and even the current/new control center looks good, although some adjustments have to be made (like why do we have the 1st and 3rd page repeats of connectivity?).
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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