Apple’s iPhone camera app could soon look very different, according to a new report.
The iPhone camera will soon undergo radical changes, including a redesigned interface with a new look and feel borrowed from visionOS, Apple’s operating system for Apple Vision Pro.
like Technical front pageJon Prosser recently revealed that Apple may soon implement sweeping design changes to the built-in camera app. These changes will affect not only the visual appearance of the application, but also the usability and accessibility of key features.
the video above shows that the revealed camera app has a radical new look and feel reminiscent of Apple’s visionOS platform. It also significantly changes the layout of the application control. Prosser’s information is based on a leaked video of an unreleased version of the iPhone’s camera app, which is slated to arrive as part of iOS 19 later this year. Prosser avoided showing the original video to protect his source, choosing instead to share a reconstruction made from scratch.
iOS 19 camera app leaked – what’s changed?
The most important changes include:
- A complete visual overhaul that aligns with visionOS
- Transparent menus
- The whole app feels “more fluid”
- A larger viewer that uses more of the screen than in iOS 18
- Camera controls are split into photo and video modes like the Google Pixel camera
- Quick access to settings at the top of the screen
- Many settings remain hidden until you swipe through a menu
This leaked camera app looks very different from the current iOS version, featuring design elements from Vision OS, especially in the increased use of transparency effects. Prosser suggests that these changes could mean a more radical design overhaul for iOS itself, which he then illustrates with a mockup of a visionOS-style home screen, complete with round icons that also happen to look distinctly Android .
As always, Apple hasn’t indicated that this leaked camera app, or anything like it, will appear in iOS 19, and Prosser’s vision for the future of iOS is pure speculation at this point. However, he notes that it would be “strange” for Apple to redesign the camera app without changing the rest of iOS accordingly. If true, this new camera app could hint at an entirely new iPhone experience for future versions of iOS.
However, Prosser suspects that while the camera app won’t be the only part of iOS getting a visionOS-style makeover, these radical changes may only apply to “core” sections of iOS initially, such as built-in Music, Notes and Wallet applications.
iOS 19 Camera App Leaked – A Mixed Response
Responses to the leak have been mixed so far. Aside from the predictable resistance to the change expressed by many, some feel the round icons are too Android-like, while others complain that some controls require more tapping and swiping to access than with iOS 18’s camera.
A few extra swipes might not seem like much overall, but in a camera app, this kind of change can make the difference between capturing a moment and missing it altogether.
It is important to note here that it is too early to comment on the usability of the new interface. A lot of changes are likely to happen before release, and there are a lot of unknown details that can make a big difference to how the app works in practice. For example, Apple could automatically put your most-used controls at the top of the menu or find other ways to reduce the amount of swiping and tapping required to reach the functions you want.
iOS and visionOS – very different animals
After all, iOS and visionOS are very different animals. An operating system like visionOS, designed for immersive mixed reality computing, has very different priorities when it comes to features such as transparent interface elements when compared to iOS which is designed for small screens and handhelds.
Either way, this leak provides valuable insight into how Apple could design future versions of the iPhone and iOS camera.