iOS 18 is still rolling out updates — a new version of the iOS 18.4 public beta arrived just this week, as a matter of fact. But among Apple watchers, the attention is already shifting to iOS 19, and for very good reason.
We won't get a look at the iOS 19 update until a preview at this summer's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), with a full release expected in the fall to be timed with the iPhone 17 launch. But with forecasts already pointing to the most significant overhaul to the iPhone software in a dozen years, you can understand why people are eager to figure out what Apple has planned.
Just what exactly is coming to your iPhone via iOS 19? We've combed over the latest iOS 19 rumors to highlight the biggest expected changes that are in the works. This isn't a complete list, as details about iOS 19 should continue to trickle out between now and the official preview of the software update. But as of right now, here's what you can expect from iOS 19.
An interface overhaul
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has led the way on most of what we know about iOS 19 at this point, and he's claiming that big changes are on the way for how the operating system looks and runs. Along with similar updates to iPad and Mac software coming this year, iOS 19 "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," Gurman said.
So what does that mean in practical terms? The answer appears to be new looks for the styles Apple uses for iOS icons, menus, apps, windows and system buttons. The nature of those changes remains a mystery, but it sounds like the focus is going to be on making your phone easier to navigate, thanks to the new look.
Based on reports, iOS 19 could be taking its cues from visionOS, the software that powers Apple's Vision Pro headset. And as Gurman noted, those changes are also coming to iPads and Macs to deliver a more unified experience across Apple's different hardware offerings.
Recent iOS updates have introduced significant new features, but left the basic look of the software the same, save for some tweaks here and there. You'd have to go back to 2013's iOS 7 release to find the last time Apple overhauled the interface of its operating system, with that update introducing flatter icons, new animations and other visual changes.
Expect a lot more details about iOS 19's new look to merge ahead of WWDC, given how substantial the rumored interface make-over is supposed to be.
Redesigned Camera app
Perhaps our best look at a potential interface overhaul in iOS 19 comes from Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech, who claims to have seen the new look in the iPhone's Camera app. Prosser recreated what he saw using some renders, and it's definitely a change from the current Camera app on your iPhone.
For starters, there are stripped-down translucent controls to leave more room for the viewfinder. A button lets you toggle between still images and video capture, which you tap to bring options such as shooting modes and other settings.
Rumors of a Vision Pro-inspired Camera app redesign have sprung up before — ahead of last year's iOS 18 launch, to be specific. That could indicate this is a project Apple's been working on for a while.
A Siri revamp
No, you're right — this was supposed to happen in iOS 18, or at least that's what Apple was promising at last year's WWDC, when Apple Intelligence received its initial preview. And to be fair, Apple has made some changes to Siri — you can correct yourself when speaking to the assistant, interrupt Siri to ask another question and even ask follow-ups without confusing the assistant.
But bigger features like Siri have more control over apps and being better able to understand the context of your on-screen content are still missing. It was thought they were going to appear in iOS 18.4, but Apple recently announced a delay, possibly into 2026, which could have some Siri capabilities not reaching your iPhone until iOS 20.
What's reportedly on tap is a plan to develop a Siri LLM that merges the different versions of Siri currently operating on your phone. According to a Bloomberg report from last year, of the two versions of Siri on board your phone, one handles the well-established commands like setting timers, sending texts and answering general knowledge questions. The other takes on more complex tasks that are part of Apple Intelligence.
9to5Mac suggests that iOS 19 could unite those different forms of Siri into one, which would mean faster response times and, ideally, a more conversational relationship between you and your phone's assistant.
Apple might also be looking to replace the ChatGPT integration it added with Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.2 with a chatbot of its own. That's consistent with Apple's stated privacy aims, which include keeping as many AI tasks on device as possible.
The time frame for any Siri improvements is somewhat up in the air, as you can imagine. This could be one of those situations where promised improvements don't appear in the initial iOS release in the fall, rolling out as a subsequent update later on — hence the suggestion that some Siri upgrades may not arrive until next year.
Other Apple Intelligence changes (or none at all)
Given how new Apple Intelligence is and how eager Apple is to make AI part of the sales pitch for its iPhones, you'd imagine that iOS 19 would bring additional capabilities to Apple Intelligence-compatible phones. But things might not be so straightforward.
In a report on the setbacks Apple was encountering on the AI front, Bloomberg's Gurman wrote that delays may have a ripple effect on iOS 19 features. "Everything I’ve heard suggests that iOS 19 will not include any significant consumer-facing changes to Apple Intelligence," he wrote.
If that seems an odd development — Apple Intelligence has been a big part of the iOS 18 story, so it'd be shocking for Apple not to build on those AI features in some way — that's not the only rumblings about some planned features being sidelined. Last year, a report claimed that Apple would be postponing a number of planned iOS 19 features, though once again that could mean they show up later on in the process as iOS 19 updates.
iOS 19 iPhone support
There's some good news if you've got an older iPhone that can still run iOS 18. A French news site reports that the same devices supporting Apple's current iOS will also be able to upgrade to iOS 19.
Specifically, that would extend iOS 19 support back to the iPhone XR and iPhone XS/XS Max. Those phones, plus every model released since the fall of 2018, would be covered.
That's not to say those older phones will support every feature. Even iOS 18 requires certain chipsets for some capabilities to work. And as before, you'll likely need an iPhone with an A17 Pro chip or later to run Apple Intelligence features — whatever those might wind up being in iOS 19.
More from Tom's Guide
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
