iOS 19 is on the way, and it’s got some surprises. One of them might look pretty familiar!

Apple keeps its product development under wraps, and iOS leaks are hard to come by. The software teams are much smaller than the large supply chain that builds the iPhones, which makes leaks even rarer. While hardware innovation has slowed down a bit, the new iPhones still get solid camera improvements. But there’s an interesting rumor about iOS 19 that we haven’t heard in over a decade.

Leaker John Prosser recently posted a video showing what the new camera app might look like. The big change? Translucent menus for the camera controls. The design of these menus? It feels strangely familiar!

iOS 19 features

Apple kicked off iOS 19’s development in June 2024. Back then, it was too early to know what features would make the cut.

Fast forward to today, while iOS 18 brought plenty of upgrades, it’s Apple Intelligence that’s stealing the spotlight. So, what can we expect from the next version?

LLM Siri

I recently switched from Samsung to the iPhone 15 Pro. Google Assistant was my go-to, but now I’m trying to get used to Siri, and let’s say it’s been a bit of a struggle.

For starters, Siri often thinks I’m talking when I’m not, and more times than not, she just doesn’t get me. So, I guess everyone’s experience with voice recognition varies. But the most frustrating part is that Siri still struggles with hearing and understanding commands, correctly.

Sure, Siri can handle basic tasks like setting timers and answering straightforward questions, but when it comes to more complex responses, ChatGPT does a much better job with clearer and more conversational replies. The good news? Apple is developing a more conversational Siri to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other voice services.

The new Siri will use more advanced large language models (LLMs) to support smoother back-and-forth conversations.

“The next-generation LLM planned for iOS 19 will be a new, end-to-end system that provides more advanced, ChatGPT-like capabilities,” says Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

Apple has been testing the new software on iPhones, iPads, and Macs as a separate app, but the plan is to replace the current Siri interface with it. They aim to roll out the update in 2025 as part of iOS 19 and macOS 16.

In the meantime, Apple added ChatGPT to Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.2 and made Gemini available on the App Store. The new Siri aims to bring these capabilities in-house while still focusing on user privacy. However, Apple might still allow third-party AI systems that offer specialized abilities or information.

visionOS-style camera app

Popular leaker John Prosser got an early look at the iOS 19 camera app, and he says it feels a lot smoother overall. The settings stay tucked away until you start swiping through the viewfinder, making the camera’s view the main focus. But what really stands out? The new camera app design isn’t just a random update. It actually lines up with the design vibes from visionOS.

At the bottom, the layout keeps things pretty straightforward. You can switch between taking a photo or shooting a video. Tap the toggle, and you’ll unlock more options like adjusting depth for portrait shots or capturing panoramic pictures with spatial capture. You can also control photo styles, aspect ratios, exposure, and a timer. On the video side, you get similar depth and spatial settings, along with slow-mo, time-lapse, action mode, and exposure adjustments—pretty much all the essentials.

Up top, you can tweak settings like resolution and frame rate. And, of course, the usual features remain—the photo gallery shortcut on the bottom left and the front-facing camera toggle on the bottom right.

Other apps with visionOS touch

It seems like Apple might be planning bigger changes across the board. It’s unlikely they’d make such a big change to just one app without having something more in store. This might be a sign that a full iOS redesign is coming.

However, Apple might keep most of iOS the same—same layout, same control center, same general experience. Instead, they could bring visionOS-inspired elements to key apps like the camera, music, notes, and wallet.

Apple last made a major visual update to their mobile operating system with iOS 7, when they swapped out the skeuomorphic design for a cleaner, more minimal, 2-dimensional look.

iOS 19-supported devices

Apple is working hard to make its devices more durable than ever. The company has shared a report showing how new manufacturing tech, software updates, and repair services are helping to extend the life of its products. In fact, devices from as far back as 2017 can still run Apple’s latest operating systems.

As for the upcoming iOS 19, it will be compatible with everything from the iPhone 11 to the iPhone 17 series. However, some of the more advanced AI features will be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer models. This is mainly to prevent overwhelming the servers.

iOS 19 release date

It might seem like iOS 18 just dropped, but we’re actually only 6 months away from iOS 19 making its debut (9 months for regular users).

Apple will give us a sneak peek of iOS 19 at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2025. After that, developers will get their hands on it for testing, and we’ll see a public beta rollout in the summer.

Then, come September 2025, iOS 19 will officially drop, alongside new iPhones. But before that, we’ll get some important updates to the current system, including an iOS 18.4 upgrade with new Apple Intelligence features.

Bottom line

iOS 19 is shaping up to be a big step forward, especially with a more conversational Siri and a sleek camera app redesign. With visionOS-inspired features making their way into key apps, it’s clear Apple’s aiming for a fresh, more intuitive experience. We’ll get the full scoop in 2025!