While the first iOS 19 beta is still more than two months away, there are already plenty of rumors about the upcoming software update.
Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors so far.
visionOS-Like Design
In January, the YouTube channel Front Page Tech revealed a redesigned Camera app that is allegedly planned for iOS 19.
According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the Camera app will have more translucent menus and buttons, along with a larger viewfinder. The alleged design looks similar to visionOS, the software platform for Apple's Vision Pro headset.
Earlier this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the visionOS-like design changes will extend to other interfaces on iOS 19, meaning that the new look with more transparency will likely extend to additional Apple apps, notifications, and more.
Gurman believes that iOS 19 will have the most significant design changes since iOS 7.
Similar design changes are also expected for iPadOS 19 and macOS 16.
Personalized Siri
Apple recently delayed the more personalized version of Siri that it previewed at WWDC last year. The company said it anticipates rolling out the Siri upgrades at some point "in the coming year," so the features could launch as part of iOS 19 later this year, but they are more likely to arrive next year in a later update, such as iOS 19.4.
Whenever they launch, the Siri upgrades will include understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. For example, during its WWDC 2024 keynote, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps.
Live Translate With AirPods
At least some AirPods models will be getting a new live translation feature with iOS 19 and an accompanying firmware update, according to Gurman.
Here is how that feature will work, according to his report this month:
The capability will work like this: If an English speaker is hearing someone talk in Spanish, the iPhone will translate the speech and relay it to the user's AirPods in English. The English speaker's words, meanwhile, will be translated into Spanish and played back by the iPhone.
Google already offers a similar Live Translate feature.
He also said iOS 19 will have bolstered translation capabilities, which likely means improvements are coming to the Apple Translate app.
End-to-End Encryption for RCS
Earlier this month, Apple said that it plans to add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to the Messages app in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS software updates. That likely means iOS 19, macOS 16, and so forth.
Apple promising end-to-end encryption for RCS messages indirectly confirms that it will be adopting the RCS Universal Profile 3.0 specification, which also includes several iMessage-like enhancements that were originally introduced in version 2.7 of the specification. iOS 18 supports RCS Universal Profile 2.4.
Here are five new capabilities to expect for RCS conversations on iOS 19:
- End-to-end encryption, which will prevent Apple and any other third party from being able to read messages and attachments while they are being sent between devices
- In-line replies
- Edit messages
- Unsend messages
- Full-fledged Tapback support for RCS messages, ensuring they always work
iMessage conversations with blue bubbles have supported end-to-end encryption by default since iOS 5. In addition, iMessage has supported in-line replies since iOS 14, while the options to edit and unsend iMessages were introduced with iOS 16.
Apple has not indicated which iOS version will upgrade RCS, but iOS 19 or a follow-up update like iOS 19.1 or iOS 19.2 seems like a safe bet.
EU Changes
The European Commission this week announced a long list of changes that Apple is legally required to implement in future iOS 19 and iOS 20 updates.
The announcement clarifies interoperability requirements that Apple is required to adhere to in the EU, under the Digital Markets Act, which has been fully enforced since March 2024. The changes will further open up the iPhone and its technologies to competing companies and devices, and Apple is not happy about it.
We will be publishing an in-depth overview of all of the requirements, but in the meantime we have highlighted some key items below.
- Third-party smartwatches must be able to display and interact with iOS notifications by the end of 2025, which likely means iOS 19.2 or earlier.
- Apple must make its automatic audio switching feature available to third-party headphones by June 1, 2026, which likely means iOS 19.4 or earlier. This is the feature that allows most AirPods and select Beats to automatically switch connection between Apple devices, such as a Mac and an iPhone.
- Apple must make changes to iOS that allow for third parties to offer equivalent AirDrop alternatives by June 1, 2026.
- Apple must make changes to iOS that allow for third parties to offer equivalent AirPlay alternatives by iOS 20, or the end of 2026. iOS 20 is expected to be released to the general public in September 2026.
The entire list of changes can be found on the European Commission's website.
Compatible iPhones
According to French website iPhoneSoft.fr, iOS 19 will be compatible with any iPhone that is capable of running iOS 18, which would mean the following models:
- iPhone 16e
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)
The oldest devices in that list are the iPhone XS, iPhone XS, and iPhone XR, all of which were released in September 2018.
Of course, some iOS 19 features will be unavailable on older iPhone models.
Timing
The first iOS 19 beta should be available immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote in June, and the update should be released to the general public in September.
More
Read our iOS 19 roundup for more details about the upcoming software update.
