Fear not, Apple’s iOS redesign won’t be a visionOS clone

A few details about iOS 18 have already leaked, but after Mark Gurman recently reported that the next iPhone update would be “one of the biggest iOS updates–if not the biggest–in the company’s history,” we’ve been eagerly awaiting some more information about the new interface and features. In a follow-up report, Gurman throws a bit of cold water on his earlier report, claiming that the update will focus more on features than a facelift.

In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple “is indeed working to update the design of iOS as early as this year,” but he doesn’t “believe it will be a total overhaul that mirrors visionOS.” There had been speculation that iOS 18 could adopt visionOS’s rounded icons and interface elements, but it appears Apple won’t go that far just yet.

Gurman doesn’t offer much in the way of details other than to say the redesign could come “as early as this year,” leaving the door open to Apple punting the new interface to iOS 19. He also doesn’t mention whether iPadOS will get the same treatment, though Apple typically delays features a year between iOS and iPadOS.

iOS 18 was previously described as an “ambitious and compelling” update that could be the “biggest” in the company’s history. Reports have claimed that some features will be AI-influenced and we’re expecting RCS to make an appearance in iMessage after Apple announced it last year, but we won’t know much about what makes it such a substantial update.

Apple is expected to unveil the next big iPhone software update at WWDC in June ahead of a wide release in September. Stay tuned to our iOS 18 rumor roundup for all of the latest news and rumors ahead of the big reveal.