According to Bloomberg , the iPhone, iPad, and Mac interfaces are about to change completely and more consistently. The “overhaul” will involve upgrading the icons, menus, apps, windows, and system buttons.

Apple is working to simplify the way users navigate and control the device, Bloomberg sources revealed, revealing the software-based design of the Vision Pro headset.

iphone nytimes
Apple will change the interface of iPhone, iPad and Mac this year, according to Bloomberg. Photo: NYT

Apple bets that the new interface will help boost sluggish shopping demand. The company's revenue growth slowed after the Covid-19 pandemic. The "money-making machine" iPhone unexpectedly recorded a drop in sales during the 2024 holiday shopping season.

The changes are coming to iOS 19 and iPadOS 19 — codenamed Luck — and macOS 16, codenamed Cheer. They not only bring a new design language and aesthetic, but they also mark the most significant upgrades to the Mac since 2020’s Big Sur operating system. For the iPhone, it will be the most significant “makeover” since iOS 7 in 2013.

Apple is expected to announce these new features at its WWDC 2025 global developer conference. The main goal of the effort is to make its different operating systems look more similar and consistent. Currently, the styles of apps, icons, and windows on macOS, iOS, and visionOS are very different.

The company has no intention of merging the operating systems, however, because it believes that keeping them separate will help the Mac and iPad work better together. Another benefit is that it encourages users to buy both devices instead of just one.

Meanwhile, visionOS – the Vision Pro's operating system – differs from iOS and macOS by using circular app icons, simple windows, and a translucent navigation panel, using more prominent 3D depth and shadows.

The software engineering and user interface teams are focused on upgrading the operating systems, with design headed by Alan Dye. More than a decade ago, former design chief Jony Ive tasked him with sketching out the Apple Watch and iOS 7 operating systems.

When Ive left Apple in 2019, Dye took on greater responsibility and oversaw more than 300 people. However, according to Bloomberg, many designers followed Ive to the design firm he founded, leaving a big void at the iPhone maker. In addition, some employees complained about an “authoritarian” management style and a culture that lacked creativity.

Creating simple, intuitive interfaces has been an Apple hallmark for more than four decades. But sometimes changes backfire. With more than 2 billion active devices worldwide, even a small change can be frowned upon. When the entire operating system is refreshed, the stakes are much higher.

(According to Bloomberg)