New 'flat' iPhoto and GarageBand icons appear in iOS iCloud Settings, hint at app revisions

As noted by an AppleInsider reader, the revamped icons for iPhoto and GarageBand first appeared in iOS Settings under iCloud's "Storage Management" section. As of this writing, the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch are all showing the new iconography.

Because the graphical assets in the storage management pane are pulled directly from Apple's servers when a user opens the settings menu, it can be guessed that an Apple employee inadvertently uploaded the icons. It is not yet clear if the assets are actually tied to reworked software, though the flat, colored gradient designs are in line with the most recent icons made for bundled iOS 7 apps.

When Apple unveiled iOS 7 in June, it introduced a number of redesigns for pre-installed apps like Photos, Safari, Mail, and Messages, among others. The company's for-pay apps, however, did not receive the same treatment and have yet to changed.

Considering Apple's move to make the iWork suite, iPhoto and iMovie apps free with the purchase of a new iOS device, the appearance of redesigned icons points to a near future update. Icons for the iWork suite and iMovie retained their usual appearance in the Settings menu.

If the first-party software is indeed updated, it is unknown whether they will receive the same overhaul as Apple's built-in apps, which were completely redesigned to match iOS 7's aesthetic. Although free, apps like iPhoto and iMovie still need to be downloaded by new device users, though this too may change after a redesign. It should be noted that GarageBand remains a $4.99 paid app.

On Tuesday, Apple sent out invitations to a special event scheduled for Oct. 22, at which many anticipate the company to reveal a new iPad lineup. While rumors of an app revamp have been all but nonexistent, it is possible that new versions of the iWork suite, as well as iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand and others may debut alongside the tablets.