iOS 19 Wishlist: 10 Features We Want to See

iPhone showing a to-do list in the Notes app titled iOS 19 Features
Image credit: Bemfica de Oliva

The next iOS version is still about four months away from being announced. The current version, however, is pretty much settled in terms of features. Therefore, any new functionalities we can expect from now on will likely only come with a major version update. Here is our feature wishlist for iOS 19, in case Apple miraculously decides to listen to its customers.

What Features Will iOS 19 Have?

Oh, before we begin, let’s see what we already know about possible new features. These came in the form of iOS 19 leaks and rumors and should be considered little more than educated guesses.

The most certain rumor so far is a redesigned camera app. It can be an indicator of wider interface changes, but nothing is certain as of now.

Some changes to Apple Intelligence are expected, too. The feature should get wider language support and better integration with Siri, but, other than that, not much is known.

Other minor changes include RCS improvements, more advanced health features, a new Emoji set, and some language and localization tweaks. Nothing to write home about, at least for what is already known, but deserving of a mention nonetheless.

Features We Wish To See on iOS 19

iOS 17 running on iPhone
Image Credit: Apple

Now for the iOS 19 feature wishlist itself. Some of the items below address the shortcomings of iOS 18, while others are long-standing requests.

1. Actually Useful Apple Intelligence

To begin with, I’m not a fan of AI tools in general. I avoid them whenever possible and am critical of companies that force it as a mandatory “feature” upon their users. I do, however, concede that there are lots of people who really like them. It’s for the sake of these people that I can’t stress enough how underwhelming Apple Intelligence is.

Even when companies push AI onto their customers, they at least integrate it coherently into their products:

  • Alphabet (Google) adopts it on search queries, with decent integration in Android and Photos as well.
  • Meta (Instagram/Facebook/WhatsApp) offers an in-app chatbot for instant messengers.
  • Microsoft uses it in Bing for searches and office tasks in Microsoft 365.
  • Adobe leverages AI to make processes like image and video editing faster.

Apple? Well, Apple does a bit of everything, though none of it decently. Notification summaries are so bad Apple has suspended the feature. Siri’s major AI trick is asking things to ChatGPT. Photos replaced a beloved feature with a terrible AI counterpart. Image Playground is half-baked — try creating, e.g., an image that includes anything humanoid without it becoming a profile picture. Genmoji is basically Emoji Kitchen on steroids. Well, you get the idea.

So far, Apple has failed to make its AI tools actually useful for its users. It seems the company rushed the feature into its products.” This means not only is Apple Intelligence worse than most of its competitors, but it’s also somewhat lost among Apple products. I really hope this changes in iOS 19 and its iPadOS, visionOS, and macOS counterparts.

2. Major Redesign (Or Any Redesign) and Decent Theming

Dark icons
Image Credit: Apple

The last time iOS went through a significant visual change was in 2013. The current design language across most of Apple’s products hasn’t changed in over a decade.

The sole exception to this is visionOS, which features an interface centered on transparency and blur. Could this be the future for other Apple systems? We can’t be sure, but I surely wish for something like that.

While a full redesign is unlikely to happen, could we at least get decent theming capabilities? The icon tinting introduced with iOS 18 looks like something Android users with terrible aesthetic tastes would use in 2015.

3. Revamped Keyboard, Text Selection, and Clipboard

I have been using iOS since it was called “iPhone OS.” And, since that time, I just can’t understand why text selection is so terrible.

Will your tap select a whole word or display the cursor at the beginning or in the middle of one? Nobody knows it’s a lottery. If you, e.g., typed “where” instead of “were” and want to position the cursor to erase the “h,” good luck. Your best bet is to tap anywhere in the text field and then drag the cursor to the right place. On Android, just tap the approximate position, and you’ll likely land at the right place. If not, a drop-shaped picker allows you to fine-tune your selection.

A consequence of the above is word correction. Another example: in Portuguese, “and” is written “e”, while “é” translates to “is” or “are” (singular “are”, used after “you”). For no known reason, iOS always changes “e” to “é”, even if the sentence makes no sense that way. Since placing the cursor correctly takes too long, I often just tap backspace twice to type “e” again. And, guess what, it gets autocorrected to “é” again more often than not. Rinse and repeat.

That may seem something too small to rant about. Keep in mind, however, that typing is one of the things we spend most time doing on our devices. I have completely given up on writing long texts on my iPhone. I do it on my Android and send it to myself via WhatsApp instead.

Somewhat related to the above is clipboard management. Not only does iOS completely lack a built-in clipboard history, but it never suggests copying text. I do concede the former is also lacking on Android (and on macOS), but the latter is just inexcusable. Filling forms, using virtual credit cards, or any task involving repetitively working with chunks of text is terrible on iOS.

4. Continuity in Apple Music

Apple Music open on a MacBook, an iPhone, and an Apple Watch, with a HomePod Mini by their side
Image credit: Apple

I decided to ditch Spotify in 2023 when it announced artists wouldn’t receive a dime for songs below specific thresholds. After about 15 minutes of weighing my alternatives, I went for Apple Music. Comparable catalog, similar pricing, and the Student plan, which I’m eligible for, comes with Apple TV+. The apps are a bit confusing at first, but so are Spotify’s.

What I didn’t expect was I’d miss a feature so simple it’s kind of given: cross-device compatibility. Start listening to a Spotify song with your phone, open the player on your computer, and resume where you left off. Deezer, YouTube Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, and pretty much any other streaming service offer this feature.

You’d think Apple, master of ecosystem integration, would have an even better version of that. Instead, we’re left with a user experience resembling the 2000s. Apple Music on my phone, for on-the-go listening, is an iPod; on a computer, it’s iTunes. Both apps share a library, my favorites, and so on, but work separately.

That doesn’t make any sense in 2025, and I hope this changes with iOS 19. I mean, you can copy text from your iPhone and paste it on your Mac, but can’t resume music playback?

5. Third-Party App Stores Everywhere

In a way, using third-party app stores is already possible in iOS. It comes with lots of limitations, though. You can only have three externally installed apps, which need to be reinstalled weekly, and installing them requires some work.

That’s because it relies on something called sideloading, which is actually installing individual apps from outside the App Store. What so-called third-party app stores do is automate part of the process and offer a catalog of apps.

Except if you live in the European Union. Apple was forced to open its ecosystem to third-party app stores that actually work like an app store.

Now, because of the EU ruling, there are already a few full-fledged app stores for iOS. They’re just artificially prohibited from working elsewhere.

That’s different, e.g., from Apple Intelligence’s geographic restrictions that prevent it from being used in the EU or in China. In that case, Apple needs to adhere to regulations before enabling the feature. It’s a matter of making changes in software (multiple times if the changes aren’t enough to comply with local laws).

The third-party app store support, on the other hand, is already available. Apple doesn’t need to make any changes to iOS to enable this in every country. Even the location check that determines whether a user can install such stores is made server-side. And, contrary to what Apple claims, we don’t see iPhone owners complaining their iPhones are less safe than those elsewhere.

6. A Decent Sound Menu

iOS 15.7 sound settings menu with volume slider

Any $100 Android phone allows you to set different volumes for ringtones, notifications, media playback, and alarms. An iPhone that costs 15 times more doesn’t. I don’t think I need to say much more about that, right?

7. Basic Alarm Functions Currently Lacking

Similar to the above: changing the snooze duration, pausing recurrent alarms, gradual volume, “time remaining” on alarm activation… All these settings aren’t available on the stock Clock app. If you have $80 or so to spare, consider getting the cheapest available Android phone as a bedside alarm clock.

8. Less Confusing Sharing Menus

If you receive a picture, e.g., in WhatsApp, it isn’t saved on your gallery by default. You need to save it manually… In the “Sharing” menu. To make things worse, this menu is accessed through an icon of a square with an arrow pointing outward. The “Save” icon itself is, well, a square with an arrow pointing inward.

Now, let’s go to Safari. The same menu hosts options expected to be there, like Add Bookmark, Add to Home Screen, or Print. They all involve “sending” the page somewhere, in a way, so their locations make sense. What else is under this menu? The Find on Page option.

The “Viewing” menu, which has options like Reader and Request Desktop Website, doesn’t seem the right place for it either. However, it does house the Translate, Website Settings, and Privacy Report options, which aren’t related to anything visual.

Inconsistencies like that are all around the place in iOS menus, especially those related to sharing options. They make for a confusing user experience and simple tasks end up taking longer than they should.

9. Compatibility With More Casting Protocols

Apple AirPlay Not Working January 2024 Featured
Image credit: Sony

I get that Apple wants to push AirPlay because it’s the company’s in-house casting solution. And, having used AirPlay as a wireless monitor connection to overcome limited video ports, I stand by its quality. That doesn’t mean Apple shouldn’t open up to other protocols.

Older TV sets and monitors, e.g., support standards like Miracast, Google Cast, and even the archaic WiDi, but not AirPlay. I know the word “older” is the key here, but most people use TVs basically until they break beyond repair. Many HDMI dongles aren’t compatible with AirPlay either, nor is Windows Wireless Display.

There is a way to use Google Cast on macOS, though it’s a makeshift solution. I won’t get into detail since this article isn’t a how-to guide. In short, you’ll need the BetterDisplay app for its virtual (or dummy) monitor feature. Then, on a Chromium-based browser, like Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, find the Cast option. Select the dummy monitor as the source.

On iOS, however, things are trickier. Many apps employ some under-the-hood magic to support Google Cast, but this isn’t as smooth as AirPlay. You also can’t simply mirror your iPhone’s screen, regardless of which app you’re using, as you can with AirPlay. Changing that only depends on Apple.

10. Customizable App List

Android devices have a kind of app called “launcher”, which are basically home screen replacements. Over the years, I have used dozens of Android phones — mine or review samples. I only ever installed third-party launchers in one case: if the stock one used an iOS-like home screen.

App drawers — a list of apps organized, e.g., alphabetically — are light-years ahead of Apple’s messy implementation. The company did make things slightly less terrible with the app list option. It still requires, however, scrolling to the last home screen page and clicking the App Library search bar. And then, you have to dismiss the keyboard to use your whole screen real estate. And why is that list disguised as a search bar, to begin with?

It isn’t by any means hard to implement an app drawer in iOS. Apple could even reuse the open/close folder animations to save some effort. Place it inside a draggable icon (and please allow it to be added to the dock), and that’s it. Really, this is yet another case of Apple’s interface design remaining stuck for decades because of pure stubbornness.

12 Top Hidden iOS 18 Features Apple Didn’t Talk About on Stage
Image Credit: Apple

I know it’s too much to expect that Apple could implement all, or even some, of the above features. But would it be excessive wishful thinking to ask for at least one or two of them? Well, in June, we’ll know.

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