Skip to main content

Even the iOS 19 leakers can’t agree on what the next iPhone update will look like

This video is the biggest iOS leak ever.
Promotional logo for WWDC 2023.
This story is part of our complete Apple WWDC coverage
Updated less than 20 hours ago

Front Page Tech, the YouTube channel behind some of the most widely discussed iOS 19 leaks, has posted a new video showing off even more renders of the upcoming OS redesign.

The last renders they posted a couple of weeks ago prompted Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman to take to X and cast doubt on their accuracy — a post that he has now reposted in response to the newest video.

iOS 19 images floating around aren’t representative of what we’ll see at WWDC. They look to be based on either very old builds or vague descriptions, missing key features. Expect more from Apple in June. Regardless, mockups – real or not – are always exciting for Apple watchers.

— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) March 25, 2025

FPT’s new video starts with host John Prosser recapping the situation — he claims that they were the first people to report on the big iOS 19 redesign in January, with Gurman’s first comments coming a full 52 days later.

He also appears to be less than impressed with Gurman calling out his leaks as “fake” — though it’s worth pointing out that Gurman’s X post didn’t actually use the word “fake.” Instead, he said the renders seemed to be based on “very old builds” and weren’t “representative” of what we’ll see at WWDC 2025.

Perhaps Prosser’s use of language in this new video is part of the reason Gurman chose to repost his initial comment rather than write something new. While you can question intent in any situation, it is true that the phrasing Gurman used was objectively more polite and professional than Prosser makes out in the video. He even goes out of his way to defend the act of creating mockups in general, saying they’re “always exciting for Apple watchers.”

Either way, it’s worth looking at Prosser’s new renders even if Gurman isn’t a fan — we can’t rely entirely on one person for all of our Apple leaks.

The biggest visual change people are expecting from this redesign is circlular app icons. This is mostly because the new design has been likened to visionOS, which also has circular icons. In this latest video Prosser confirms that he too expects the icons to change — but he hasn’t actually seen any fully circular examples.

Instead, he has seen squircles — icons with much rounder corners than we have now but aren’t full circles. He says he doesn’t know if these are the final design but they are the only thing he has seen personally.

As for the “glass” or “transparent” look people have been talking about, Prosser says he has seen some elements, such as the flashlight icon, shimmering as the user moves the device.

Other small changes include an updated TabView at the bottom of Apple’s native apps and slightly reshaped toggles in the Settings app. Interestingly, Prosser’s personal conclusion from what he has seen is that though things look a bit different, it’s not actually much of an overhaul. This is a surprising take to hear since all of the reports around iOS 19 have focused on just how different it will look.

Since all the visuals in the video are recreated renders, we have no way of knowing exactly what Prosser has seen, and his sources are naturally also confidential.

At this point, while WWDC is still months away, there’s not much we can do other than decide who we want to believe the most. Prosser says the builds he’s seen are up to date, Gurman implies with his repost that they are not. Choose your side, I guess!

Gurman is definitely right about one thing, however: it really is exciting to see these mockups — especially when they trigger an all-out war between Apple leakers.

Willow Roberts
Willow Roberts has been a Computing Writer at Digital Trends for a year and has been writing for about a decade. She has a…
5 lost iOS features I want to see return in iOS 19
Siri being shown on an iPhone 15 Pro on iOS 18.

In the second week of June, Apple will likely give the world a glimpse of its jazzed-up operating systems at WWDC 2025, and a major redesign is expected for iOS 19. Though I’ve always yearned for a return to the skeuomorphism look, we are hearing that Apple is eying a unified aesthetic language that is more reminiscent of Vision OS running on its uber-expensive headset.

A lot of eyes and ears will hunt for AI-related announcements, especially in the wake of Apple Intelligence flubs and delays. On the more practical side of things, an AI fitness coach might land this year with the iOS 19 update. But after going through all the hype and rumors, I hope Apple brings back the following features that it abandoned years ago, but with a modern makeover: 

Read more
iOS 18.5 arrives as Apple edges closer to big iOS 19 reveal
The iOS 18.5 update waiting on an iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Apple has released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the latest software updates for its iPhone and iPad models. As the version numbers suggest, Apple is gradually getting closer to the announcement of iOS 19, which will almost certainly be one of the main topics during its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) keynote which takes place on June 9. In the meantime, here’s what you need to know about iOS and iPadOS 18.5.

Apple iPhone and iPad owners can check their devices for the update now by opening the Settings app, tapping General, and then Software Update. If iOS 18.5 or iPadOS 18.5 is available, it’ll show up here and you only need to follow the instructions to install it. What will you find once it’s all up and running?This isn’t a big software update, so don’t expect to spot any major alterations. Likely the most obvious will be a new wallpaper in Apple’s 2025 Pride collection, which follows the recent release of a special Pride 2025-themed Sport Band for the Apple Watch. If you’re a parent and your child has an iPhone, you’ll receive a notification when the Screen Time passcode is used, provided both devices have iOS 18.5 installed. 

Read more
Your current iPhone battery could last longer with iOS 19, thanks to AI
iOS 19 leak renders with squircle icons.

Imagine downloading a software update for your current iPhone and the battery life getting extended. That could be a reality thanks to iOS 19.

According to a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, we can expect iOS 19 to leverage AI in such a way as to actually improve battery life efficiency on iPhone.

Read more