iOS 19: These new features are coming to the iPhone

The first beta version of iOS 19 is less than two months away, and a handful of new features are already expected with the update. Apple is expected to release the first beta version to developers immediately following its WWDC 2025 keynote, which will take place on Monday, June 9. After the beta test, the update is expected to be released to the general public in September.

Below, we summarize the most important rumors so far.

iOS 19 Brings Design Update with Floating Tab Bar

iOS 19 is expected to introduce a new design more similar to the visionOS operating system on the Apple Vision Pro headset.

According to Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech, iOS 19 will have a glass-like appearance, with added transparency to menus, buttons, and other user interface elements. He also expects rounder app icons and a new floating tab bar in Apple apps.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also predicts that iOS 19 will have a visionOS-like design, and he believes the design changes will be the most significant since iOS 7.

End-to-End Encryption for RCS

Last month, Apple announced that it plans to add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to the Messages app in future software updates for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS. This likely means iOS 19, macOS 16, and other related updates.

Apple promises end-to-end encryption for RCS messages and indirectly confirms that it will adopt the RCS Universal Profile 3.0 specification, which also includes several iMessage-like improvements originally introduced in version 2.7 of the specification. iOS 18 only supports RCS Universal Profile 2.4.

Here are five new features that RCS conversations should support in iOS 19:

• End-to-end encryption, which prevents Apple and other third parties from reading messages and attachments as they are sent between devices
• Inline replies
• Edit messages
• Unsubscribe messages
• Extensive Tapback support for RCS messages to ensure they always work

iMessage conversations with blue bubbles have supported end-to-end encryption by default since iOS 5. Additionally, iMessage has supported inline replies since iOS 14, while the options to edit and unsubscribe iMessages were introduced with iOS 16.

Apple hasn’t specified which iOS version will include the RCS update, but iOS 19 or a subsequent update like iOS 19.1 or iOS 19.2 seems like a likely option.

Live Translation with AirPods

According to Gurman, at least some AirPods models will receive a new Live Translation feature and an accompanying firmware update with iOS 19.

Here’s how this feature will work, according to his report from last month:

“The feature works like this: When an English speaker hears someone speaking Spanish, the iPhone translates the speech and relays it in English to the user’s AirPods. Meanwhile, the English speaker’s words are translated into Spanish and played back on the iPhone.”

Google already offers a similar Live Translation feature.

He also said that iOS 19 will have improved translation features, which likely means improvements to the Apple Translate app.

Redesigned Health App with Coaching Feature

A redesigned Health app is expected to launch next year with iOS 19.4.

According to Gurman, Apple plans to introduce a new AI-powered Health Coaching feature that will offer personalized health recommendations. The information provided by the coaching feature would be accompanied by videos from health experts informing users about various health conditions and ways to improve their lifestyle. For example, if the Apple Watch is tracking poor heart rate trends, a video could explain the risks of heart disease.

Food tracking will be another key component of the redesigned Health app, which Gurman said could compete with the MyFitnessPal app.

Personalized Siri

Apple recently postponed the more personalized version of Siri unveiled at WWDC last year. The company said it expects to roll out the Siri upgrades sometime “in the coming year,” so the features could arrive later this year as part of the new iOS version. However, it could actually wait until a later update, such as 19.1 or 19.4.

With each launch, Siri upgrades will include understanding a user’s personal context, on-screen awareness, and more in-depth per-app controls. During its WWDC 2024 keynote, Apple for example showed an iPhone user asking Siri about his mother’s flight and lunch reservation plans using information from the Mail and Messages apps.

The more personalized Siri features require an iPhone model that supports Apple Intelligence, so you’ll need an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, any iPhone 16 model, or any iPhone 17, which will be released later this year.

EU Changes

Last month, the European Commission announced a long list of changes that Apple is legally obligated to implement in future iOS 19 and iOS 20 updates.

The announcement clarifies the interoperability requirements that Apple must comply with in the EU under the Digital Markets Act, which came into full effect in March 2024. The changes will further open the iPhone and its technologies to competing companies and devices. It’s clear that Apple doesn’t like this at all.

Here are some of the key requirements:

• Third-party smartwatches must be able to display and interact with iOS notifications by the end of 2025, which likely means iOS 19.2 or earlier.
• Apple must make its automatic audio switching feature available for third-party headphones by June 1, 2026, which likely means iOS 19.4 or earlier. This is the feature that allows most AirPods and select Beats headphones to automatically switch the connection between Apple devices, such as a Mac and an iPhone.
• Apple must make changes to iOS by June 1, 2026, that allow third parties to offer equivalent AirDrop alternatives.
• Apple must make changes to iOS by iOS 20 or the end of 2026 that allow third parties to offer equivalent AirPlay alternatives. iOS 20 is expected to be released to the general public in September 2026.

The full list of changes can be found on the European Commission’s website.

Compatibility

According to a reliable iOS leak source, iOS 19 will be compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer versions.