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In lieu of a chattier Siri, Apple (AAPL-4.67%) is seemingly back to leaning on its design bonafides to push its next big software updates.
The iPhone maker is preparing significant design revamps for iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16, Bloomberg reports, citing unnamed sources. The shakeups are reportedly due sometime later this year, and they could help bridge some gaps between Apple’s devices. Across Apple laptops and phones operating systems remain quite different, despite steps taken in recent years to connect and homogenize its screened gadgets, such as by adding mirroring and iPhone-app support to Macs.
The big changes will apparently include revised icons, menus, and navigational designs, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who added that the software changes may take some design cues from Apple’s Vision Pro — its least-popular marquee product available today.
Apple reportedly scaled back or even halted production of its mixed-reality headsets due to low demand last year, which outlets have attributed to its $3,500 price tag and experimental form factor. This makes the goggles an intriguing influence for the software that powers Apple’s more mainstream devices. Taking inspiration from Vision Pro’s software could mean that future iPhones will feature circular icons or more 3D, but Apple hasn’t publicly confirmed any of this, nor is it clear if a Vision Pro-inspired software revamp is something anyone actually wants.
Still, for Apple, leaning on a design shakeup to sell its next-generation iPhones, iPads, and Macs would mark a return to form. While under the direction of the late Steve Jobs and former design boss Jony Ive, Apple distinguished itself with an obsessive approach to hardware and software design. If anything, Apple’s move to join the AI bandwagon last year to sell more handhelds marked a departure from these roots.
Apple could preview the big software changes at its annual developer conference in June, according to Bloomberg. Apple didn’t immediately respond to a Quartz request for comment on the matter.