- Apple’s new Invites app has an interesting interface design
- It’s more reminiscent of visionOS apps than those made for iOS
- It might be a hint at iOS 19’s upcoming design rethink
Occasionally, we get a sneak peek at what Apple has planned in its future devices, and that seems to have happened with the recent launch of the company’s new Invites app. Because far from being a simple party-planning app, Invites sheds light on the sort of design we could end up seeing in iOS 19.
Open up Invites and the first thing you’ll notice is how much it has in common with apps made for Apple’s Vision Pro headset. As Apple enthusiast Parker Ortolani has noted, the app’s glassy, floating boxes and colorful backgrounds are very reminiscent of what you’ll find when using the Vision Pro.
It’s unlike most other Apple apps, which share a more familiar design language that has been present in iOS for years. With visionOS – the operating system that runs on the Vision Pro – Apple changed things up, and that seems to have translated across to Invites.
Interestingly, it’s not the first time we’ve seen an Apple app take a new direction in terms of the user interface. Ortolani pointed out that Apple’s recently-launched Sports app was also a departure from the traditional design ethos we’re used to seeing. And a recent leak of what’s claimed to be a new look for the Camera app in iOS 19 shows an interface that is similarly inspired by the Vision Pro.
Reading the tea leaves
With the firm’s two most recent apps both taking a turn away from the design principles of past Apple apps, does that mean something new is on the horizon? That seems to be Ortolani’s belief, at least. If Apple is starting to follow the Vision Pro’s lead when it comes to app design, this could perhaps portend a shift when iOS 19 is previewed in the summer at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
The last time we saw a significant app design shift was when iOS 7 launched in 2013. When that happened, Apple ditched the skeuomorphism that defined its past design philosophy and adopted a much flatter look for both the operating system and its apps.
It’s been over a decade since that major change, so it may well be time for another design rethink. And if Apple’s latest apps seem to be shifting closer to those found in visionOS, perhaps we’ll see a much bigger overhaul when iOS 19 is revealed to the world.
Ultimately, ensuring its apps share a common design language makes sense for Apple, as it means its users can find familiar elements and systems whatever device they’re using. And if that’s the goal, it’s possible that Apple’s other devices – from the Apple Watch to the Mac – could end up heading the same way.
