WWDC Wishlist: 8 Dream Features I Want to See in iOS 19 (Or Is It iOS 26?)
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Apple's iOS and iPadOS are renowned for their consistent design, strong security features, excellent integration with other Apple products, and robust app ecosystem. However, that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. With iOS and iPadOS betas rumored to come in June after Apple's WWDC showcase, I've pondered how potential updates and new features could enhance Cupertino's mobile experience. These are the features I most want to see in iOS and iPadOS when they arrive later this year.
Apple is on a roll with screen customization improvements, but it needs to maintain that momentum by offering more control over app appearances, colors, and sizes in both iOS and iPadOS. Take widgets, for example. I want true floating widgets that overlay onto other apps, with tweakable themes and color gradients. Likewise, the upcoming operating system should give the freedom to place apps and widgets anywhere, rather than adhering to a rigid grid layout. Better color suggestions that suit the background wallpaper would be nice, too.
Notes is a wonderful app that I use extensively for brainstorming ideas, creating lists, scanning documents, and quickly jotting down thoughts. I especially like its Writing Tools, which are AI-powered editing features for refining notes. They proofread my words and even check for tone, which is incredibly handy.
However, Notes lacks one big feature: a revision history. I would love to view and revert to previous edits, improving my productivity. For example, I rewrite lines I don't like, but sometimes the new words aren't to my liking, either. Currently, there's no way to go back to the original version. Numbers, an Apple iWork app, lets you browse and revert to previous spreadsheet versions. Let us do that within Notes, too, Apple!
A universal back gesture is long overdue. With Android, you can swipe from the left or right screen edge toward the center to navigate back to the previous screen or app. This is especially useful because it lets you quickly return to a previous screen without remembering button placement, and it works the same way across the entire system.
With iOS, back gestures are much more inconsistent because they appear on a per-app basis. If an app lacks it, you must tap the on-screen back button, which is clunky. Ironically, Google Calendar is a prime example of an iOS app with back gestures, as it uses the Android-style swipe. Swiping back is so simple and useful that it's almost silly that Apple hasn't picked it up. Here's hoping it's a systemwide feature in iOS 19, iOS 26, or whatever Apple decides to call it.
With AI permeating every aspect of our digital lives, I hope Cupertino gives Apple Intelligence the resources and time needed to flourish within iOS and iPadOS. It should take a hard look at the competition and deliver enticing features, such as an AI-powered image editor on par with Google's Magic Editor or Samsung's Portrait Studio. Apple is on the right track with Clean Up for touching up photos, but it lacks generative capabilities, and Image Playground is far too juvenile and underpowered for the task.
Apple delaying Siri's AI enhancements is fine, provided the assistant can handle advanced queries and tasks like Google Gemini when the update eventually goes live. I particularly like Gemini's ability to summarize website and video content, and would love for Siri to be able to do the same without leaning on ChatGPT as a crutch.
The Photos app was redesigned in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, for better and worse. I appreciate being able to customize and reorder my photo collection around memories, people, pets, recent days, trips, and other criteria, but I strongly dislike how tedious navigating the app has become. The tab interface (Library, Albums, For You, Search) was removed and condensed into a single scrolling view, making it cumbersome for large photo libraries.
In short, Photos needs another overhaul this year. Apple should bring back the tab-style interface to alleviate the tedious scrolling, or let you customize albums as you see fit. I would also welcome more integrated photo-editing capabilities, like a blemish remover or retouching tools. Apple is getting lapped by Google Photos in this regard, but thoughtful additions could bring it up to the competition's level.
It's odd that the Journal app isn't already on the iPad. Then again, it did take Apple 14 years to add a Calculator app to iPadOS. With both the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard as complementary peripherals, the Journal app would be a superb fit for the iPad. That said, not everyone carries their iPad around the same way we carry our iPhones, and Journal keeps track of your activities throughout the day to give you suggestions. To remedy this, the Journal app should sync between both iPad and iPhone. Carry your phone around for your day-to-day activities, then settle down at home and chronicle your adventures on the beefy iPad.
Although I enjoy iPadOS' productivity chops, I wish the operating system would adopt more macOS features. True multiuser support would be a fantastic start, so various users could log onto the tablet with separate accounts and have their own personalized settings and data.
Apple should also bridge the gap between different versions of the same app within its ecosystem. For example, Final Cut Pro is much more robust on macOS than the iPadOS version, which is better suited for quick editing than the professional-level features.
Apple has made a surprisingly aggressive push into gaming, but its elements are too disparate to make the brand your go-to play platform compared with Windows PCs. Apple Arcade is a decent game subscription service, but impressive indie game debuts are infrequent. Game Center (Apple's social gaming service and network featuring achievements and leaderboards) never really took off.
However, many high-end games have appeared in the App Store, including Death Stranding, Resident Evil, and Wuthering Waves. I would like Apple's various gaming elements, including Apple Arcade, Game Center, and App Store purchasing, rolled into one single, seamless app or service. Think Steam, but for Apple's ecosystem. This could greatly streamline gaming on Apple devices and make the process vastly more accessible for potential players.
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