Apple’s big iOS 19 unveiling is almost here. Next month, the company will introduce a major new iPhone version packed with a variety of upgrades. Here are three new iOS 19 features rumored to be announced.
#1: Major design overhaul
This is the big headliner feature. Apple is reportedly preparing its biggest iOS redesign in years, with more changes than we’ve seen since iOS 7.
iOS 19’s new design is expected to have three main goals:
- Simpler to use
- Faster to navigate
- Easier to learn
Leaks have pointed to Apple striking a balance of keeping things familiar, but also fresh and streamlined.
For example, apps that use tab bars may now make that navigation float above content and integrate a search bar. So it’s not an iOS 18 Photos-style total rewrite, but the design still has meaningful visual and functional changes.
#2: New third-party AI integrations
Last year when Apple Intelligence launched, it brought a two-fold strategy.
Most AI features are built and powered by Apple’s own LLMs. But the company also integrated the intelligence of ChatGPT into Siri and its writing tools.
Reporting indicates the same approach will continue in iOS 19, with Apple potentially offering several new third-party AI models to choose from. Google Gemini will likely be one of them.
While there will also be new in-house AI features in iOS 19, the expansion of third-party options should help Apple give users more power than it can provide on its own.
#3: External display ‘Stage Manager’ mode
The iPhone keeps getting increasingly more powerful, and restrictions in iOS don’t always let that power shine through. But reportedly in iOS 19, there’s a big multitasking upgrade on the way—at least, in a certain context.
iOS 19 is rumored to offer a new Stage Manager-like UI when your iPhone connects to an external display. Thus enabling you to use multiple iPhone apps at once.
It may seem like a niche use case, but there are two reasons it makes sense:
- iPadOS 19 will similarly get big Stage Manager upgrades
- and next year’s iPhone Fold needs proper multitasking support
By shipping this new Stage Manager UI in iOS 19, Apple can gather feedback from users and make adjustments next year before the iPhone Fold’s launch.
New iOS 19 features: wrap-up
Apple will unveil iOS 19 on Monday, June 9 at the kickoff of WWDC. And the three new features above are just scratching the surface of what iOS 19 is expected to bring.
There are also long-anticipated Siri AI upgrades coming, plus a powerful new AirPods feature, and a lot more in the works.
What new features do you hope to see in iOS 19? Let us know in the comments.
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