We've been bemoaning the lack of progress in the design of iOS, with the iPhone software having looked pretty much the same since 2013's iOS 7. But rumour has it we're in for a dramatic software design refresh in 2025 – and Apple's newly revealed WWDC 2025 logo suggests the reports might just be true.
Apple has announced that its Worldwide Developers Conference will return, as expected, the week of 9 June 2025. WWDC is always the company's opportunity to show off upcoming software, with less emphasis on hardware. And the design of the logo seems to align with rumours about the design language of iOS 19.
iOS 19 has long been rumoured to be taking visual cues from VisionOS. That means, according to Apple leaker Mark Gurman, "apps could appear in circular icons with translucent panels, very much like they currently appear in the app menu on Vision Pro’s visionOS 2."
With the '25' of the logo having a translucent, glass-like appearance, it certainly looks like we could be heading for a world of see-through panels. But I'm also intrigued by the splash of colour on the WWDC. In a world of beigeification, could colour be making a comeback? The Apple of the 1990s was delightfully colourful, and the likes of the new iMac have hinted at a return to those playful roots. We'd love to see a splashier, more colourful iOS too.
While anything that significantly changes the homescreen that users interact with daily is likely to cause controversy, I'd say it's about time Apple gave us a new look. 2013's iOS 7 is often cited as last big iOS redesign, when skeuomorphism was ditched in favour of flat design. The fact that the former is making a comeback as brands embrace detailed, textured UI again shows just how much time has passed since iOS 7 – and how it's time for another revolutionary new look for iOS.
And for my money, Apple would do well to focus on design rather than AI at this year's WWDC. With the new and improved Siri still notably absent, the company's Apple Intelligence announcements from last year's WWDC are startling to look like a misstep.
