Apple’s WWDC event is mere days away and the company is gearing up to announce a plethora of front-facing features and changes. Even though the company has reached stagnancy when it comes to design and innovation, it will make certain changes that will break the spell. A new report claims that Apple’s watchOS and tvOS operating systems for the Apple Watch and Apple TV will see a major redesign across various aspects, alongside iOS 19.
Apple is preparing to transform tvOS and watchOS with modern visuals and seamless cross-platform design integration
iOS 19 was previously slated to be a bigger update than anticipated, as the company is planning to redesign different aspects of the Home Screen. We have been hearing details on circular app icons and Apple Intelligence upgrades for the iPhone and it only goes on to show that the company is on a roll to offer more than users had expected.
It appears that the company’s ambitions are greater than what we previously perceived. Mark Gurman states in his latest Power On newsletter that watchOS 12 and tvOS 19 will also bring a handful of major visual design changes for the Apple TV and Apple Watch. Other than this, visionOS is also expected to get some minor touch-ups.
Today’s report is an indication that Apple is planning to redesign all of its software platforms for its entire product line. Apple has been working to unify the design aspects of the operating systems of its devices and the upcoming updates will add to the company’s ambitions. We have previously reported that the company has taken design inspiration from visionOS with its glass-like transparent effects and we could possibly see the same change applied to the entire line of operating systems.
Other than the transparent effects, we could also see changes to navigation hierarchies within apps, new icons, and a lot more. Apple’s WWDC 2025 artwork also highlights the same transparent elements, which is a clever portrayal of what is coming in the next two weeks. While iOS, watchOS, and macOS have received their due share of visual overhauls in the past few years, tvOS has remained the same. This time around, the company is planning to change that by offering a handful of variations for an entirely new experience on the Apple TV.
At this point, the tvOS user interface seems a bit outdated compared to the rest of the software updates and a design overhaul could elevate the user experience. If we are lucky, Apple could streamline the look of iOS and tvOS, but it remains to be seen if the company will take this route or keep the two versions apart.
According to Gurman, the UI ‘adjustments’ will revolve around a design inspired by visionOS, which means that the transparent effects will come into play at WWDC for tvOS as well as the rest of the operating systems.
