iOS 19

Now that Apple Intelligence is out in the world, it will likely take up a lot of Apple's attention and resources. The iOS 19 update will likely continue to expand AI to every part of the iPhone operating system.

Apple is currently in the middle of beta testing iOS 18.4. What releases with the remaining iOS 18 cycle will determine the focus of iOS 19.

Outside of AI, another trend has formed for Apple releases — customization and personalization. Each release since iOS 14 has added new significant systems from customizable Lock Screens to Focus Modes.

The late announcement and implementation of a new age verification system for iOS 18 indicates more will likely come from that angle. Screen Time has been somewhat lackluster as a tracking and moderation tool, but it could prove powerful as Apple expands how it can influence user actions.

With only a short time to WWDC, Apple has likely already approved the expected feature list for iOS 19.

Apple OS rumors

Not much is known about an operating system update before it is announced, as the people working on it are the only possible leakers. Pundits can guess at expected features based on patterns and previous releases, and hardware leaks can hint at potential changes.

Three smartphone screens display vibrant app icons and widgets with themes of neon, space, and clownfish with coral backgrounds.

Customization has been a focus of recent iOS releases

It is incredibly rare that specific details of an operating system update like design changes get out. Leaks do happen though, but generally from parts of the company that only have broad concepts, like an AI push or target feature.

Since Apple Intelligence is a likely focus, much of the discussion is around what Apple revealed for iOS 18, what it has shipped so far, what remains, and what may be delayed into iOS 19. In spite of speculation, Apple has maintained a steady rollout of AI features since they were revealed.

Some expected iOS 18.4 would hold a new Siri overhaul that involved app intents providing personal context. That update has been pushed back to later in 2025, but developers have been able to target the feature to prepare since iOS 18.2.

It seems that the app intents feature will be pushed to iOS 19 at this point; however, a barebones version may still launch in iOS 18 with improvements later. Other rumors indicate planned projects may have taken a back seat and the LLM-based Siri delayed even further, but it is impossible to determine the accuracy of such comments.

iOS 19 features

Rumors suggested Apple might make iOS 18 look like visionOS, but that never came to pass. Some elements of iOS 18 were informed by visionOS and Apple Vision Pro, but the operating system kept its design throughout.

Smartphone camera interface with options for style, aspect ratio, exposure, and timer. Photo and video modes are visible, along with a large shutter button.

An illustration of a supposed iOS 19 camera app update - Image Credit: FPT/YouTube

While Apple is highly unlikely to overhaul its entire OS to look exactly like visionOS, it could tweak some aspects of the UI. There are once again rumors about Apple implementing more transparent materials and new layouts akin to spatial computing.

Rumors surfaced again about a potential redesign in early 2025, which indicates it may in fact be coming. Apple would alter aspects of the UI, windowing systems, and overall design to ensure more visual unity across devices and operating systems.

If the redesign is significant, it will be the biggest change to iOS since the controversial one in iOS 7 that removed skeuomorphism.

Two smartphones side by side showing home screens. The left phone has older app icons, the right phone displays more colorful, modern icons.

There is a strong chance Apple will continue to emphasize system customization, personalization, contextual formatting, and intelligent suggestions with iOS 19. Expect more powerful widgets, more varied control options, an improved Control Center organization system, and more integrations with Focus Modes.

Customization has become a powerful part of iOS, and Focus Modes are at the center of that. They enable the user to change the function and look of their iPhone with a single button press or contextual event.

The customizable Control Center still isn't tied to Focus Modes. Showing or hiding certain pages for each Focus would be an interesting upgrade.

As Apple Intelligence, app intents, and how they tie to Siri grow, users can expect even more customization and personalization across the system. Apple's investment in these intelligent technologies could dramatically change how the user interacts with the iPhone.

Apple Intelligence in iOS 19

Expect everything Apple has introduced for Apple Intelligence so far to be expanded and amplified. Some suggest Apple will need time to expand existing systems before introducing many new ones.

Smartphone with triple camera setup, close-up view, on colorful abstract background of light shapes in yellow, red, and purple.

Apple Intelligence has become a central focus for Apple

The new app intents system coming before the end of iOS 18 will likely be a focus of iOS 19 as Apple ties more and more information and operations to AI. It is expected to be a powerful tool that is also private, which is a significant advantage over Apple's competitors in the space.

App intents have existed in iOS for a while — they're what let the operating system interact with various app functions. Apple is tying this existing system to Apple Intelligence and Siri to amplify what users can do with simple voice commands.

The example Apple offered when it first revealed the feature at WWDC 2024 was asking about a flight the user's mother was on. It pulled data from Mail, Contacts, iMessage, and Calendar to determine when the user's mother would land.

The initial release of the app intent system will likely rely heavily on Apple's apps with very little, if any, interaction with third-party apps. While Apple has given developers a chance to build for the new system since iOS 18.2, there isn't much indication of how they will tie into the feature when it first releases.

Because app intents involve so many systems, Apple could easily focus on that implementation for most of iOS 19 without disappointing users. Each new app intent API that becomes tied to the system will feel like a new superpower — at least we can hope.

Rebooting Siri as an LLM

Apple's long-term plans for iOS 19, and perhaps iOS 20, are rebuilding Siri's backend as a large language model (LLM). It is currently still running on the decade plus of machine learning and API tape that built the original Siri.

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The Siri backend could move to an LLM-base

An LLM-based Siri could be really useful for parsing all the available user data. Combining it with the available app intents systems Apple is rolling out for Apple Intelligence would essentially transform Siri into an agentic AI overnight.

Such a significant overhaul won't be simple. Rumors place it at iOS 19.4 before becoming available. That is if it even makes it to iOS 19.

iOS 19 release date

Apple is expected to release iOS 19 to the public in September 2025 after the iPhone 17 lineup is revealed. The beta for iOS 19 will begin in June immediately after the WWDC keynote.

Every device that supports iOS 18 is expected to maintain support for iOS 19. Those are: