Apple iOS 19 leaks: What We Know So Far
- Attila Buyer
- Apr 9
- 4 min read
As of April 9, 2025, iOS 19 is still a few months out from its official unveiling at WWDC 2025 (June 9-13), but leaks and rumors are already painting a picture of what’s coming. Apple’s next iPhone software update is shaping up to be a big one—potentially the most significant redesign since iOS 7 in 2013—blending fresh design vibes with deeper AI smarts. Here’s a rundown of what’s surfaced so far, based on leaks from insiders, YouTubers, and analysts, though it’s all unofficial and subject to change.
A VisionOS-Inspired Redesign
The headline grabber is a major visual overhaul, drawing heavy inspiration from visionOS—the sleek, glassy interface powering Apple Vision Pro. Leaker Jon Prosser, via his Front Page Tech YouTube channel, kicked things off in January 2025 with a mockup of a revamped Camera app, followed by more detailed renders in March and April. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has backed this up, calling iOS 19 one of the “biggest revamps” in years, aiming to unify the look across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS without merging them outright.
Glassy, Translucent UI: Expect a “floating” aesthetic—think buttons, menus, and pop-ups with a reflective, glass-like sheen that shimmers as you tilt your iPhone. Prosser’s mockups show translucent elements bleeding background colors into overlays, giving a 3D depth. The virtual keyboard’s getting rounded edges and a floating effect too.
App Icons: Early rumors hinted at circular icons like watchOS, but Prosser’s latest (April 7) says they’ll be rounder “squircles”—not fully circular—hidden under the current design in internal builds. Long-press an icon, and it morphs with a slick animation. Gurman’s hinted at subtler “lighting effects” over radical shape shifts.
Navigation Shift: Apps like Music might ditch bottom tab bars for a floating “Tab View” deck—oval, animated, and flexible—keeping functionality familiar but fresher. Settings toggles are wider and thinner, and permission prompts (e.g., camera access) sport rounded corners.
Lock Screen Polish: Flashlight and Camera controls reportedly shimmer with movement, adding a glossy flair without functional upheaval.
Gurman’s thrown some shade, though—posts on X suggest Prosser’s leaks might be based on “old builds” or “vague descriptions,” missing the full scope. Still, the WWDC 2025 artwork, unveiled March 25, leans hard into visionOS vibes—glass-like depth and shadows—lending credence to the direction.
Apple Intelligence and Siri Get Smarter
iOS 18 put Apple Intelligence front and center, and iOS 19’s set to double down—less with new AI features, more with refining and expanding what’s there. Gurman’s reports suggest Apple’s playing catch-up after a rocky iOS 18 rollout (think buggy Notification Summaries), so expect polish over flash.
Siri 2.0 Delayed: A souped-up Siri with a unified large language model (LLM)—merging its basic-command self with AI-heavy chops—was slated for iOS 18.4 but got pushed. Now, iOS 19—maybe as late as 19.4 in spring 2026—could deliver a chattier, context-aware assistant rivaling ChatGPT. No conversational overhaul at WWDC, though; it’s still brewing.
App Integration: Apple Intelligence might spread to more stock apps—think AI-generated playlists in Music (rumored since 2024) or smarter Photos edits. Nothing concrete’s leaked, but the groundwork’s there.
Health Push: A revamped Health app with AI-powered coaching—personalized tips, expert videos on heart disease or fitness—is in the works, possibly for iOS 19.4. Food tracking to rival MyFitnessPal’s also floated around.
No word on ChatGPT integration shifting—Siri still hands off complex queries there, opt-in style—but Apple’s reportedly eyeing its own chatbot long-term.
Camera App: Cleaner and Meaner
Prosser’s January leak spotlighted a redesigned Camera app, and it’s held strong. It’s simpler, visionOS-flavored, and viewfinder-focused—less clutter, more snap.
Two-Mode Base: Swipe between Photo and Video modes; tap for extras like panorama or spatial video. Resolution and frame-rate controls pop up top as needed.
Translucent Menus: Floating, rounded controls match the glassy theme, making the viewfinder king.
It’s unclear if this redesign spills into other apps, but it’s a taste of iOS 19’s streamlined ethos.
Compatibility: Who’s In, Who’s Out?
A late 2024 leak from iPhoneSoft (via 9to5Mac) suggested iOS 19 would support all iPhones running iOS 18—back to the iPhone XR and XS with A12 chips. But a March 31 MacRumors report, citing a private X account with a solid track record, flips that: the XR, XS, and XS Max might get axed, dropping A12 support. If true, iOS 19’s baseline would be the A13 (iPhone 11 series). Caveat: newer features like Apple Intelligence will still need beefier chips (A17 Pro or later), so older models might miss out on the full package.
Odds and Ends
AirPods Translation: 9to5Mac reports a live translation feature for AirPods tied to iOS 19—real-time language swaps during calls or chats.
No AI Overload: Prosser’s sources say Apple’s holding off on big AI reveals, focusing on design for now—though that could shift by June.
Codename Clue: MacRumors tied iOS 19’s “Luck” codename to its glossy redesign—subtle, but it fits the shimmering UI narrative.
My Take: Hype Meets Caution
If these leaks hold, iOS 19’s shaping up as a bold refresh—less about rewriting the iPhone rulebook, more about giving it a glossy, cohesive glow. The visionOS influence feels like Apple’s prepping us for an AR future (smart glasses, anyone?), and the Camera tweak’s a practical win for shutterbugs. Siri’s delay stings—ChatGPT’s running circles around it—but the focus on polish could steady Apple Intelligence’s shaky start. Compatibility’s the wild card; dropping the XS trio would ruffle feathers, but it’d push the baseline forward.
Take it with salt—Prosser’s hit-or-miss, Gurman’s skeptical, and Apple’s got two months to pivot before WWDC on June 9. Still, X buzz from March and April shows fans split: some drool over the glassy look, others dread change. Me? I’m stoked for a sleeker Camera and praying Siri gets its act together. You grabbing the beta day one, or waiting to see if it’s worth the hype?
