Mac users, especially, should be excited by a major Apple OS redesign
Reports peg iOS 19 and other Apple operating systems to get a visual overhaul.
Reports, from Bloomberg and others, say that Apple will be unveiling a major redesign to its operating systems with iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16.
The currently scant details indicate that the new look could take its cues from visionOS.
While it’s always a bit scary to leave the familiar with only the hope of something better, I’m excited by the idea of a visual overhaul of these operating systems.
I don’t particularly need iOS to be reskinned simply to feel new, but I welcome that too. Mostly, I’m hoping for a modernization of macOS. I still find too many inconsistencies between it and iOS that ultimately disrupt my flow.
To be clear, I don’t need platform consistency because I can’t figure out how to do something otherwise. I’m not going to give up doing something if I can’t find it on the first try. I want more unity for increased productivity as I move between devices freely.
The share button on macOS is one small example. It looks the same between OSs and has similar functionality, but it’s not the same. There’s no print option there on macOS whereas that’s how you print on iOS. (On the Mac, it’s File > Print)
If you dig into Settings or other areas you can find a lot of these kinds of examples.
iPadOS could also use some attention. The visual style of Stage Manager feels about as tacked on as can be. That device would do well to have some fresh thinking applied to its software.
The rumors suggest that a new overarching design will use the transparency of visionOS.
As one of the few people who uses the Vision Pro regularly, I love its design and style. The interface looks fresh. I think I would love that visual influence applied to other Apple devices.
One mock-up of the visionOS style applied to the camera app looks appealing. Love it or hate it, it takes a stab at making navigating the modes faster and easier. The current method of getting to Pano and Portrait, for instance, seems too delicate to me.
Wishing for a system redesign of macOS and other OSs could end up being a huge mistake in hindsight. We may have it really good right now and not even know it if an update gets botched.
However, Apple started making its operating systems more like each other a while ago and hasn’t finished. There’s a lot more work to do so new users coming to the Mac from an iPhone feel at home. And vice versa. Mac users opting to take an iPad on a weekend trip could feel a lot more comfortable and productive with more software design improvements.
While the idea of a visual refresh coming sooner or later isn’t too surprising, the elephant in the room is watchOS. I hope it doesn’t get forgotten.