Apple will be introducing iOS 19 at the WWDC in June, and will ship it to users in September 2025. Here’s what’s rumored for the next generation of the iPhone operating system.
Each year, Apple updates iOS alongside its iPhone. For 2025, to go with the iPhone 17, that means the release of iOS 19.
With iOS 18 starting off the rollout of features under Apple Intelligence, iOS 19 is expected to continue to follow the trend with its own set of new functions.
This is what rumors and speculation about iOS 19, and what Apple plans to bring with it in 2025.
When will iOS 19 ship?
The release of the newest versions of its operating systems tends to happen in the fall, as it has been for years. This is to coincide with the latest hardware releases at that time, which this year includes the iPhone 17.
It’s hard to imagine iOS 19 arriving at any other time than September 2025.
However, that won’t be the first time anyone will be aware of iOS 19 itself. As Apple usually introduces the fall operating system releases during WWDC in June, we will get our first glimpse of iOS 19 at that time.
Apple introduces its operating systems months in advance of release so that developers can take advantage of function changes and other alterations. That also means the release of a developer beta, which will get tested repeatedly with regular builds up until the eventual public release.
As if we needed any real confirmation that it was on the way, a June 30 report claimed Apple had formally started work on the fall 2025 OS updates, including iOS 19.
iOS 19 device support
With each update to an operating system, most of the time, some devices get left behind and can’t upgrade. This could be for technical limitations, or simply the lack of support for aging hardware.
When it comes to iOS 19, a rumor claimed in December that support will continue to be extremely broad for the operating system.
The full list of alleged compatible iPhone models is:
- iPhone 17, 17 Air, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max (2025)
- iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max (2024)
- iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max (2023)
- iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, iPhone SE (3rd gen) (2022)
- iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max (2021)
- iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2nd gen) (2020)
- iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max (2019)
- iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR (2018)
This list seemingly indicates that iOS 19 will be available on all devices that ran iOS 18. However, that is still subject to change, and the venue that reported the compatibility list is using educated guesses this far out, and isn’t always accurate.
iOS 19’s feature work was delayed
While iOS updates tend to include new features, Apple’s work on the versions being added to iOS 19 may have been delayed.
According to an X post from December 12 by Mark Gurman, the gradual rollout of features across iOS 18 to iOS 18.4 has led to delays for some features scheduled for iOS 19.
Apple Intelligence’s feature releases in iOS 18 included Image Playground
Gurman doesn’t mention what features are affected specifically, but does say that this has led to it affecting the “long term rollout of features next cycle.” The most likely feature set to be affecting it is Apple Intelligence, which has endured a slow rollout so far, which will go beyond iOS 18 and into iOS 19.
To end users, this may means Apple will announce features during WWDC that won’t be available when iOS 19 ships. This is something Apple has done before, so it’s not new, but it does tend to be disappointing.
iOS 19’s slower Siri updates
In November, a report claimed that the Apple Intelligence changes in iOS 19 could include a Siri chatbot at some point.
By Siri chatbot, the report said it would be a large language model (LLM)-based Siri, which would be able to handle more conversational features. An LLM is used by various AI services, such as ChatGPT, which can often handle queries in a more flexible and natural-sounding way than digital assistants like Siri.
The features would include the ability to handle back-and-forth conversations with users, more so than Siri in iOS 18 and earlier versions.
Siri, and Apple Intelligence, should improve more as time rolls on
However, the chatbot apparently won’t be available at the release of iOS 19. Instead, it is expected in early 2026, leaving users with more of a wait to get the better Siri.
Making the situation worse is another report from March 2, insisting that some Apple Intelligence updates to Siri in iOS 18 were delayed considerably, and could be pushed into iOS 19 instead.
The work on Siri has led to developments in two strands, with improvements made to the old system alongside the creation of a new version. Apple is reportedly merging them into a single system in spring 2026.
This, again, is well into iOS 19’s product cycle.
For end users, this may mean a lack of user-facing features in iOS 19 when it comes to Siri, with the changes largely being made in the background.
iOS 19 camera app update
While actual app rumors for iOS 19 are practically nonexistent, Jon Prosser released a video in January claiming to have seen elements of iOS 19. Claiming to be protecting the source, Prosser’s team “recreated” what they saw as the Camera app in iOS 19.
With a more well-rounded appearance, the interface was described as more “fluid,” with condensed settings that reveal themselves as you swipe away. The viewfinder takes up most of the screen, as usual, with buttons present to change from front to back cameras, the shutter button, and the gallery of shot images.
An illustration of a supposed iOS 19 camera app update – Image Credit: FPT/YouTube
To the base is a button to switch between Photo and Video, with a toggle to display more modes for each. Resolution settings will be more easily accessible and selectable than the current method.
The UI in general is said to mirror the aesthetics of visionOS, used on the Apple Vision Pro. It is also proposed that this preview hints at other UI changes that could affect the rest of iOS in general.
Previous reports on the visionOS interface insisted that it wouldn’t be migrated into iOS 18, due to it being a more functional design choice for the headset rather than an aesthetic one. We haven’t heard similar claims for iOS 19, but the point may still stand.
This story originally appeared on Appleinsider
