Remember when new versions of iOS could introduce major redesigns? iOS 7, I am I look at you. Despite the annual rumors predicting another major overhaul of iOS, I’m convinced those days are over. And a recent app debacle shows why.
The Sonos redesign debacle is a cautionary tale
Sonos, in case you haven’t been paying attention, has had a really bad time lately.
The company recently replaced its CEO after months of trying to correct its big mistake of 2024: launching a major app overhaul.
The new Sonos app debuted in April, sparking a massive wave of customer complaints and bad press for the company that lasted all year.
It’s a perfect case study for why the days of Apple’s major iOS overhauls are over.
If the new Sonos app had been launched at the very beginning of the company, I’m convinced everything would have been perfect.
This means that even if there were the same issues, the small, passionate user base would have adapted, or Sonos would have delivered the fixes and it wouldn’t have been such a debacle.
The story is similar with iOS.
The success of the iPhone makes big changes particularly risky
Back when the iPhone was still thriving, Apple was able to “get away with” major redesigns because its user base was much smaller and more technologically advanced.
Nowadays, society relies heavily on the iPhone. Hundreds of millions of users, with varying technological skills, all depend on it.
If Apple were to make sweeping changes to the way iOS looks and works, there’s a good chance the backlash would be crippling.
Although the redesign was seen by many as a positive change, Apple’s user base is so large that it is almost guaranteed that there will be strong opposition.
The solution is not to let iOS stagnate, and Apple knows this.
Instead, Apple’s practice has been to make significant changes to the iPhone on an app-by-app basis.
For example, changes to the Photos app in iOS 18 caused a lot of controversy, leading to fixes in subsequent software updates. But it was only one app, so its impact was limited.
Reorganize the whole of iOS? This would be a huge risk for Apple.
As fun as the idea of a major iOS 7-style overhaul sounds to me (and maybe to you), most iPhone users who aren’t as eager for change might see it as a nightmare.
The Sonos debacle is a big wake-up call for Apple and any other major tech player with a large, established user base.
This also means we may just have to accept smaller, iterative iOS design refreshes.
Do you think Apple should completely redesign iOS? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.
