Apple's next-generation iOS operating system, preview expected in June.
By MacRumors Staff on May 10, 2019
At a Glance
* Set to debut at WWDC in June, iOS 13 is Apple's next operating
system for iPhones and iPads. Rumored features include a Dark Mode, iPad
interface updates and a new Home screen.
Expected Features
* Redesigned Home screen on iPhone and iPad
* Dark Mode
* Updated CarPlay interface
* iPad interface updates
* New multitasking features
* Cross-platform apps
The next update to the iOS operating system that runs on the iPhone, iPad,
and iPod touch is already in development at Apple's headquarters in
California.
While we know a limited amount about the new software at this point in time,
we have heard some interesting rumors that shed light on some of the
features and changes we can expect to see in the update, which, based on
past updates, will be called "iOS 13."
iOS 12 <https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ios-12/> marked a major shift in
Apple's iOS development policy, and engineers now have more freedom to push
back features that aren't ready when necessary.
Apple is also now working on the next two years of updates at the same time,
allowing under-developed features to be delayed while continuing to provide
yearly updates.
For that reason, iOS 13 is potentially more developed already than prior
updates, while at the same time, leaving open the possibility that any
rumored feature could be postponed.
There are some details about iOS 13 that we already know because Apple
delayed features in iOS 12 to iOS 13 to focus on bug fixes and
under-the-hood improvements, and there have been a surprising number of
leaks giving us a good look at the feature set we can expect to see when iOS
13 sees its June debut. Much of the information shared below has come from
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman
<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-06/apple-wwdc-2019-ios-13-m
acos-10-15-watchos-6-tvos-features> and 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo
<https://9to5mac.com/2019/04/15/ios-13-features-dark-mode/> .
We can expect
<https://www.macrumors.com/2018/05/04/ios-13-revamped-files-app/> a dark
mode, changes to the volume interface, major iPad updates with new
multitasking capabilities, new gestures for undo/redo, a revamped Find My
iPhone app that merges Find My iPhone and Find My Friends, updated Reminders
and Mail apps, and cross platform app capabilities that will see iOS apps
able to be easily ported over to the Mac.
We can expect to get our first glimpse of iOS 13 in June at the Worldwide
Developers Conference, with an official launch to follow in the fall when
new iPhones are released. Developers and public beta testers will get early
access to the update, and we'll be tracking new features and changes at:
www.macrumors.com
throughout the beta testing period.
Rumored Features
Dark Mode
iOS 13 will include a dark mode
<https://www.macrumors.com/guide/ios-dark-mode/> for the first time, a
feature iOS users have desired for quite some time. The dark mode will match
the dark mode that was first introduced on macOS Mojave and it will allow
for "easier nighttime viewing." Apple's WWDC artwork this year has a darker
theme, perhaps hinting at the upcoming dark mode that we can expect to see
in iOS 13.
Sleep Mode
Apple is working on a sleep mode
<https://www.macrumors.com/2019/05/06/wwdc-2019-what-to-expect-gurman/>
available in the Control Center that will toggle on Do Not Disturb, make the
Lock screen darker, and mute all incoming notifications. It will also
include improvements to the Bedtime tab in the Clocks app.
iPad Tweaks
Several features in iOS 13 will be focused on the iPad
<https://www.macrumors.com/2019/04/15/ios-13-dark-mode-new-volume-hud-report
/> . Apple is said to be introducing a feature for displaying multiple
windows in a single iPad app using a tab view.
Improved multitasking is coming to iOS 13, with iPad apps to support
multiple windows and stackable cards within apps. Apps will feature sheets
that are initially attached to a part of the screen, but that are able to be
detached with a drag gesture to become a card that can be manipulated.
Cards can be stacked on top of one another and a depth effect will indicate
the cards on top and the cards on the bottom, while flinging a card will
dismiss it.
New Gestures
iPads are expected to gain a new standard undo gesture for text input, which
will allow users to undo or redo an action using a three finger tap on the
keyboard area and a slide left or right.
New gestures that will allow users to select multiple items in table views
and collection views will be added, allowing them to drag multiple fingers
on a list of items to draw a selection, similar to a click and drag in
Finder on the Mac.
Updated Volume HUD
iOS 13 is rumored to include a new volume HUD that's perhaps going to be
less obtrusive than the current one.
Cross-Platform iOS and Mac Apps
With iOS 12 and macOS Mojave, Apple introduced a new framework for bringing
iOS apps to the Mac, and as a test, several iOS-only Apple apps, such as
Stocks, Home and Voice Memos, were ported to macOS. In iOS 13 and macOS
10.15, Apple is planning to expand this functionality to developers, which
will make it easy for iOS apps to be tweaked for porting to the Mac.
App Changes and Updates
Messages
Updates to the Messages app will include a WhatsApp-style feature allowing
users to create a profile picture and display name, and then choose who sees
it. There will also be a dedicated menu for Animoji and Memoji stickers.
Mail
The Mail app will organize messages into searchable categories like
marketing, purchases, travel, "not important," and more, plus there will be
a read later queue, an option to mute incoming Mail notifications for
specific email threads, and a tool for blocking contacts.
New Find My iPhone App
Apple is working on a new app
<https://www.macrumors.com/2019/04/17/apple-tile-like-item-tracker-rumor/>
that combines Find My Friends and Find My Phone into one, which could
potentially debut in iOS 13 and macOS 10.15. The app will include a new
"find network" feature for allowing Apple devices to be tracked even when
not connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network by leveraging other nearby
devices. The app will include existing Find My iPhone features like Lost
Mode and an option to remotely wipe a device. Location-based sharing options
pulled from Find My Friends will also still be available.
Apple is also said to be working on a related hardware product, described as
a Tile-like item tracker. It has been described as a "tag" that can attach
to any item and paired to a user's iCloud account. It will rely on proximity
to the iPhone, with users receiving an alert when their device gets too far
from the tagged item.
There is no word on when Apple might debut this accessory, but it could come
in the fall alongside new iPhones.
Maps
An updated Maps app will include features that will make it easier to set
and navigate to frequent locations, like home or work addresses. Frequent
locations will also be grouped more efficiently, and photos will be able to
be added to them.
Reminders
A new Reminders app will feature four default sections laid out in a grid,
encompassing tasks to be finished today, all tasks, scheduled tasks, and
flagged tasks.
Books
The Books app will include a new progress tracker and a rewards system for
encouraging more reading.
Home
The Home app will be better integrated with security cameras and will offer
a feature for viewing past recordings without having to access a third-party
app.
Health
The Health app will feature an improved view of daily activity and more
comprehensive tracking of menstrual cycles. A section for "hearing health"
will be included, measuring how loud you play music on your headphones or
the volume of the ambient environment around you.
Other New Features
Speed Enhancements and Bug Fixes
iOS 13, much like iOS 12, will introduce speed improvements for devices and
cut down on bugs.
Keyboard
There will be a new default swipe-based keyboard available, similar to
something like SwiftKey.
Fonts
Font management will improve in iOS 13, with the Settings app to gain a new
font management menu.
Updated Share Sheet
The Share Sheet interface for sharing photos and web links is going to be
smarter in iOS 13, suggesting people to send content to.
Safari
Safari in iOS 13 on iPad will automatically load a desktop version of
websites when necessary, and Apple is testing a downloads manager for Safari
that would let users access downloads in a single location.
Live Photos Updates
Apple plans to double the length of the video that's attached to a Live
Photo, going from three seconds to six seconds.
Hey Siri
Hey Siri is going to get better at filtering out ambient noises like
laughter and crying babies.
Screen Time
Screen Time will get a new feature limiting who kids can and can't contact
at specific times.
Interface Updates
There will be a new animation when launching the multitasking pane along
with closing apps, and the iPad's Home screen is getting some changes.
Revamped Files App
While there are few details on what a revamped Files app will look like,
Apple is said to be working on new features for it, such as better
third-party software integration.
New Emojis
New emoji won't be available when iOS 13 is released, but in an iOS 13
update later in 2019, Apple will introduce new characters. The Unicode
Consortium has finalized the characters
<https://www.macrumors.com/2019/02/05/2019-new-emoji-list/> that are being
added to the emoji standard, and some of them include flamingo, otter,
waffle, sloth, white heart, people holding hands, ice cube, snorkel,
orangutan, juice box, falafel, and more.
Accessibility
A more comprehensive Accessibility menu is coming to the main page of the
Settings app with improved hearing aid support and more.
Mouse Support on iPad Pro
Rumors suggest Apple may be planning to add USB mouse support
<https://www.macrumors.com/2019/04/23/ipad-usb-mouse-support-accessibility-r
umor/> to the iPad Pro as an accessibility feature, without the need to use
an adapter.
The iPad Pro's USB-C port will reportedly allow you to plug in a USB mouse
as an alternative input method for those unable to use a touchscreen. It's
not clear when this feature might be implemented, but it could come as early
as iOS 13.
Developer Additions
For developers, iOS 13 will bring improved Siri integration
<https://www.macrumors.com/2019/04/22/wwdc-2019-developer-features-rumors/>
for media playback, search, voice calling, event ticketing, message
attachments, flights, and more.
Other developer-focused features include ARKit improvements with a new
Swift-only framework for augmented reality and a companion app that will let
developers create augmented reality experiences visually. ARKit will also
support game controllers and stereo AR headsets.
New frameworks for expanded use of the Taptic Engine will be included, as
will document scanning support for third-party apps and the ability to
capture photos from external devices without having to use the Photos app.
NFC will be improved and developers will be able to add support for expanded
NFC formats to their apps, and there is an updated version of CoreML being
added.
Compatibility
There have been a few questionable rumors
<https://www.macrumors.com/2019/05/10/ios-13-drops-iphone-6-iphone-5s-iphone
-se-rumor/> suggesting iOS 13 will drop support for older devices like the
iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone SE, original iPad Air, and iPad
mini 2, but it's not clear if this information is correct.
The iPhone SE uses the same A9 chip as the iPhone 6s and the
fifth-generation iPad, which are not included in the list of devices rumored
not to support iOS 13, which doesn't make a lot of sense.
Analytics
Work on iOS 13 is already well underway at Apple's Cupertino campuses, and
visits to the MacRumors website from devices running iOS 13 with Apple IP
addresses have picked up over the last few months.
Visits began in early 2018 and increased over the holiday months. Apple
starts work on new versions of iOS many months in advance, and as a June
preview date approaches, we should see a growing number of visits from iOS
13 devices.
Discuss iOS 13
Our forum members are already discussing the features they hope to see in
iOS 13, so if you have something you think Apple might add, feel free to
join in on the discussion
<https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ios-13-wishlist.2138694> .
Website:
https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ios-13/
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