While I’m neither religious nor extreme about it – my entire belongings do not fit into a backpack – I’m still one of the most minimalist people I know. Where both household items and design are concerned, I’m relatively close to the less-is-more end of the scale.

But even I ended up feeling that iOS 7 had taken things a bit too far. I did enjoy the very stark aesthetic for a time, but I’m very much looking forward to something a little more interesting in iOS 19 …

Sure, I don’t want to see us return to the very literal skeuomorphic designs used in early iOS versions, even though I think those were the right choice for the time. But it’s not like we have to choose between the barest of 2D images and the most leather-and-linen-infused 3D ones of 2007. There’s plenty of room here for a middle ground.

In part, I think it’s simply that the basic design aesthetic of iOS hasn’t changed much in many years, and we’re ready for a change. But even eight years ago, I was feeling like the very flat look had outstayed its welcome.

There’s no reason today why an app should resemble a paper product that many people haven’t used for a decade or more, and which younger iPhone users probably never used. But that doesn’t mean that we have to go ever further down the flat design route either. Today’s iOS design looks … well, just a bit boring.

Here we are with a device whose graphics are so powerful and sophisticated that it can be used for augmented reality, and we’re using it to display child-like icons and design elements that wouldn’t have caused a 2007 iPhone to break sweat.

Indeed, in terms of the number of iPhone users who will notice and care about it, I argued earlier this year than a new visual design will likely have a bigger impact than a new Siri.

Designer Michael Flarup approvingly notes the redesign of the Airbnb app, and believes that iOS 19 will be part of a growing trend.

Flat design is over. The future is colourful and dimensional. Those aren’t my words. They’re Brian Chesky’s, CEO of Airbnb, after what can only be described as a landmark redesign of the platform. A redesign full of whimsical, animated, 3D icons and warm, tactile surfaces […]

I’m just glad to see interfaces getting weird and wonderful again. We’re not going back. We’re going forward—with depth, with texture, and maybe even with a little joy.

(I also approve of Flarup’s pedantry about the word ‘skeuomorphism,’ but feel that ship has sailed.)

Macworld’s Filipe Esposito even took a trip down memory lane, re-using first iOS 6 and then iOS 7 on older devices, to see what he would make of the change now. He still feels the iPhone lost something of its personality in the change.

iOS 6 was the culmination of five years of Apple interface design and everything felt more fun and alive […] On the one hand, iOS 7 looked a lot more modern than iOS 6. But on the other hand, fun interface elements also became more boring […] We also lost many of the skeuomorphic animations that, while not necessary, were a nice touch and always brought a smile to my face every time I saw them. With the change, iOS lost its personality and character.

He’s hoping that iOS 19 will bring back those qualities.

I agree with both of them. I like and appreciate minimalism, but you can have too much of a good thing. Somewhere between fussy and flat lays the possibility of tasteful and elegant dimensionality – with perhaps just the right touch of playfulness and whimsy. That’s what I’m hoping to see in iOS 19.

What are you hoping for? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

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Photo by Allison Saeng on Unsplash