Speculations suggest that the design of iOS 18 takes inspiration from visionOS

Apple usually prefers to make incremental design changes to iOS, the operating system that powers iPhones. The most recent significant update was made to iOS 16’s Lock Screen customization feature. Recently, a rumor regarding the design of iOS 18 emerged. According to the details, the company might opt for a more significant visual refresh inspired by VisionOS. Do note that VisionOS is the operating system behind the Vision Pro headset.

A report from the Verifier suggests that iOS 18 might include certain visual elements from VisionOS. Although VisionOS and iOS are quite similar, there are a few distinctions, like a unique style characterized by rounded edges and shadows and an illusion of depth created by overlapping, floating windows. The updated Apple TV app in tvOS 17.2, which has a new floating sidebar style akin to VisionOS app layouts, is cited by the article as early proof of this shift.

When it comes to the accuracy of this information, the credibility of The Verifier is not 100 percent accurate. For this reason, we suggest taking this rumor as mere speculation. In addition to this, Mark Gurman also claimed that iOS 18 will be a major update. There is no information on whether he pointed to UI updates or the new AI-powered features. Concerning the operating systems, the company always opts for a distinct design language for each. The rounded corners and deep shadows are characteristics of watchOS or macOS; however, they were never incorporated into iOS in the past.

Though there may be some truth to these claims, it’s more probable that tvOS will adopt a visionOS-inspired design change. The Apple TV’s larger screen format makes it ideal for visual layouts with more layers and depth—elements that are more typical of visionOS. Besides the design changes, reports suggest that iOS 18 will incorporate AI features. Currently, Samsung and Google are offering these features on their devices. More companies are expected to follow the same strategy in the future. From this perspective, Apple might be aiming to introduce the desired changes in the next iOS update.