In just over a month, Apple will be holding WWDC 2019 in San Jose, California from June 3-7 where it will be unveiling iOS 13, macOS 10.15, and more. Since iOS 12 focused primarily on speed improvements, iOS 13 is going to be a major release packing a lot of features.
Like every year, we will be publishing our own set of iOS 13 wishlist but before that, I think it would be better if we go through all the features that leaks have confirmed iOS 13 is going to come with. Some of these features have been a part of our wishlist for decades and Apple is finally going to add them in iOS 13.
Confirmed iOS 13 Features Based on Leaks
Dark Mode
A system-wide Dark mode is something that we have been wishing for since years. With iOS 13, Apple is finally granting our wishes and adding a system-wide Dark mode to the OS. Leaks point to the iOS 13 Dark Mode being similar in nature to how macOS Mojave’s Dark mode works.
On iPhone X and newer iPhones featuring an OLED display, the Dark Mode in iOS 13 is going to look stunning.
Better Multitasking on iPad
iOS 13 is going to focus on adding features that will help improve multitasking on the iPad. Apple is heavily pushing the iPad and iPad Pro as a PC replacement for many but there’s a lot of work to be done software wise.
In iOS 13, apps can have multiple windows and can contain sheets which can be pinned to a part of the screen. These cards can be moved around the display to allow for free-form multitasking. These cards can be flung away to be dismissed. To make Split View multitasking easier, apps can have different color panels to make it easier for users to distinguish between them.
There are going to be plenty of other improvements in iOS 13 that will be focused primarily to improve multitasking on the iPad.
New Gestures
iOS 13 is going to introduce a new system-wide undo gesture. A simple three-finger left/right swipe on the keyboard will allow users to undo/redo an action.
Additionally, Apple will be debuting a new gesture in iOS 13 that will make selecting multiple files easier. Users would be able to select multiple files at once by simply dragging their finger across them.
Improved Safari
Safari on iOS 13 is going to make browsing on the iPad a better experience. The browser will automatically show a prompt to render the desktop version of a website when it detects that the mobile version is loaded.
New System Apps
Apple debuted new system apps — Stocks, Voice Memos, and Apple Books — with iOS 12. They were all Marzipan apps which were also a part of macOS Mojave. With iOS 13, Apple is going to follow the same trend and release redesigned system apps as a part of iOS 13. Leaks have confirmed a new Reminders app, though other iOS system apps are also going to be redesigned and get the Marzipan apps.
Volume HUD
iOS 13 is going to come with a new Volume HUD which will be less obtrusive in nature. There’s no detail on how the volume HUD will look like but at least it is getting a much-needed redesign.
USB Mouse Support
To improve the multitasking experience on the iPad, Apple will add USB mouse support in iOS 13. It will be added as an accessibility feature which means users will first need to enable it from Settings before they can plug in a USB mouse on their iPad and start using it.
New Health App
The new Health app in iOS 13 will have a new dashboard that will highlight one’s daily activity. It will also have a “hearing health” section where it will highlight how loud a user plays their music or the loudness of the external environment they were exposed to.
New Messages App
The updated Messages app will let users set a profile picture and name similar to other popular messaging services out there. Users will be able to control who will be able to see their profile picture and name. There will also bee a new menu in the conversation view from where users can quickly send stickers version of Animoji/Memoji.
Updated Reminders App
The Reminders app is getting an overhaul in iOS 13 and better to-do features to compete with other similar third-party features. It will have a new UI that will split tasks across four sections: ones which need to be done today, all tasks, scheduled tasks, and flagged tasks.
Apple Books
The revamped Apple Books app will encourage users to read more with its rewards system and a progress tracker.
Updated Screen Time
Screen Time in iOS 13 will get a new feature that will allow parents to limit who their children contact and when. They can prevent their kids from contacting anyone but them during a certain time of the day.
New Maps App
The refreshed Maps app will let users set shortcuts to their frequently visited locations so that they can quickly get navigation directions.
Upgraded Home App
The Home app will be getting an upgrade in iOS 13 and tie in with security cameras and allow users to view past recordings.
Organized Share Sheet
The Share sheet will be getting a more organized interface for sharing photos and links. It will also automatically recommend contacts to share content with depending on how frequently you contact them.
Sleep Mode
There will be a new Sleep mode in iOS 13 that will tie with the Bedtime feature in the Clock app. It will automatically turn on Do Not Disturb, switch to Dark mode, and mute all notifications.
Download Manager
Safari is getting a download manager in Safari thereby allowing users to manage the files they download from the web browser on their iPhone/iPad.
Apart from the above features, we should also see Apple talk more about Marzipan apps and its SDK at WWDC 2019. iOS 13 is going to pack a lot of other new features which we are yet to know about.
Are you excited about iOS 13? What are the features you wish Apple gets around to adding to iOS this year?
Last updated on May 9, 2019.
