iOS 13: Next Apple Update to Bring Dark Mode, New iPad Home Screen and More

Apple is planning some big changes for its next iPhone update. A Wednesday report claims that iOS 13, the expected name for the company’s upcoming mobile operating system, will bring a slew of much-desired changes that could make it one of the largest updates in years.

The Bloomberg report states that Apple will finally bring a dark mode to iOS, introduced on the Mac last year and one that could help reduce screen glare at night. The feature, one of the most popular requests communities like Reddit, could potentially help iPhones like the X, XS and XS Max take advantage of their OLED displays that can switch off individual pixels for even deeper blacks. The update is also set to bring improvements to CarPlay, which can display a driver-friendly interface on in-car screens, as well as new integration for the rumored Netflix competitor and a magazine subscription system.

See more: The First Hints About the Future of Apple’s iOS 13 Mobile Software Emerge

Some of the biggest changes could come to the iPad, which received a hardware upgrade in November but suffers from restrictive software compared to full computers like the Surface Book 2. Listed upgrades include a redesigned home screen, a better method of managing files, and a tab system for using multiple versions of one app in a similar fashion to web browser tabs. The home screen upgrade was rumored 12 months ago, as it was originally scheduled for iOS 12 but moved to the subsequent release, but reports originally claimed this upgrade would also surface on the iPhone.

The home screen has operated in largely the same way since its initial debut on the iPhone in 2007. Then-CEO Steve Jobs wowed the crowd at that year’s January MacWorld by “sliding to unlock” and revealing a grid of icons on the 3.5-inch touchscreen. Apple now ships iPads with 13-inch screens, but it’s retained the same basic formula even on these larger sizes. The company brought a similar app launcher to the Mac in 2011, under the name Launchpad, but it’s an optional extra that works alongside the windows-and-files desktop metaphor.

Apple will likely detail iOS 13, alongside updates to macOS and others, at the annual Worldwide Developers’ Conference this summer.

If Apple does choose to release a “dark mode,” it could spell the end of the notch as iPhone software switches off the pixels on either side. Will users care about a thinner notch in future?