- An iOS 19 leak suggests the iPhone's camera app will receive a major redesign
- Mockups based on leak point to a simplified look inspired by Vision Pro
- iOS 19 is expected to be fully released in September
The iPhone's Camera app has received a generous helping of new features in recent years, from photo styles to Apple ProRaw. But one thing Apple forgot to do is organize them in a way that makes intuitive sense. Fortunately, a new iOS 19 leak suggests it will finally rectify it later this year.
iOS leaks are pretty rare, so I'm treating this new one with caution. But the source, the Front Page Tech YouTube channel, is not known for outlandish, unsourced rumors. And speaking of its mockups (based on internal Apple contacts), the channel says “I can say with 100% certainty that what I showed you is real.”
So what exactly is new? Well, if the iOS 19 leak is true, Apple will soon replace the confusing mess that is iOS 18's cluttered camera UI with a cleaner, simplified look inspired by Apple Vision Pro.
To me, the Vision Pro influence is less interesting than the simple fact that Apple seems to have finally tidied up the cluttered interface. Gone is the exhausting row of eight modes for photos and videos, and those lists are hidden inside a simple photo and video switch.
This means that some camera functions will be a little more out of sight; For example, did you know that the QuickTake function is located inside the shutter button for burst shots and one-touch videos? But that's definitely the direction the Camera app needs to move in. Hopefully, iOS 19 also fixes the arrow at the top of the app, which confusingly opens a set of icons at the bottom of the screen. I'd bet a lot of people don't even know those settings exist.
The Camera app's cluttered top bar also appears to have received a welcome makeover, according to this iOS 19 leak. It looks like we'll have a more obvious way to choose video specifications like resolution and frame rate. Presumably, Apple will still find some place for Action Mode shortcuts and focal lengths, which seem to be missing from this mockup. But overall, I totally agree with the update, apart from one thing…
The missing link
I've been waiting for iPhones to have a Pro photo mode for a few years now, but unfortunately there's still no sign of one in these iOS 19 leaks. Apple has shown signs of moving in that direction with video, but only with separate apps like Final Cut Pro for iPad.
To be fair, Apple has added a lot of pro photography features to iOS, many of which are hidden in its Settings menu. I've put together many of those settings in my guide on how to set up your iPhone 16 (or iOS 18 phone) to take great photos in 2025.
But a simple solution to hide the clutter of the Camera app would be to have a switch that switches it between “point and shoot” mode and “Pro” mode. The iOS 19 redesign looks like a solid point-and-shoot experience, but a Pro mode (perhaps mapped to the Action button) could quickly turn it into something like a Fujifilm X100VI by introducing additional controls like manual focus or focus peaking.
That would be my ideal camera app setup, making the iPhone have two cameras in one. But Apple may be worried about 'Sherlocking' some of the best camera apps like ProCamera, Halide or Camera Obscura, which could be seen as a misstep considering many have starred in its annual App Store Awards.
Still, even if Apple holds out on adding a full Pro mode to its Camera app, the update illustrated in this iOS 19 leak seems like a step in the right direction. And who knows, maybe it'll hint at a broader iOS update that would see it get its biggest visual change since iOS 7 in 2013…