IOS 19 design leak shows Apple hasn’t completely changed iOS, but there are a lot of changes

Apple, judging by the latest leaks, has found a happy medium in the design of iOS 19. The devices will retain the familiar navigation, but at the same time will receive a modern and stylish interface. Apple did not take risks and radically rework the beloved design elements and user experience in iOS 18.

Image source: Jon Prosser’s Front Page Tech

Rumors that iOS 19 would be the first major redesign for an operating system in a long time began to appear at the beginning of the year. Of course, such expectations arise every year, but this time the number of leaks indicates that the changes will really be large-scale. According to Jon Prosser, who presented a video with some details of iOS 19, Apple tried not to shock users, but to offer them an updated, but at the same time familiar user experience.

One of the main innovations will be the redesign of the application icons. They will still remain in the form of rounded squares, but will get a more modern look. However, the most discussed aspect was the fate of the tab bar, as Apple is gradually abandoning the classic tab bar and, for example, this element has already disappeared from such applications as Journal, Apple Sports, Image Playground, Apple Invites and Apple Vision Pro.

Image source: Jon Prosser’s Front Page Tech

However, judging by the mockups, Apple does not intend to completely abandon the tab bar in iOS 19. Instead, a new implementation will be introduced – tabs will be hidden behind a button in the lower left corner, allowing you to call them up as needed. This solution, according to Prosser, will preserve familiar functionality, add new navigation elements such as search, and at the same time visually unclutter the interface. “It looks fresh, but intuitive,” he said.

This approach seems to be a reasonable compromise, since users often criticize drastic changes, as was the case with the redesign of Photos in iOS 18. Therefore, a global redesign of the iPhone interface is risky, since many are simply not ready to “learn” how to use a smartphone again, analysts believe.

The official announcement of iOS 19 is expected at WWDC in June, where Apple may confirm or deny the leaks. So far, the reaction to the mockups presented by Prosser has been generally positive. Users and experts agree that such an update could be the perfect balance between innovation and familiar user experience.