iOS 19 Icon Dilemma: Squircles to Circles – A Design Quandary

iOS 19 Icon Change from Squircles to Circles

There's a growing consensus that in iOS 19, app icons may transition from squircles (squares with rounded corners) to circles. While the aesthetic preference is subjective, there are practical considerations to this change.

Current iPhone Icons:

• Square Design: Apps like Home and Wallet use square or rectangular graphics that can maximize the space within a squircle.
• Circular Design: Apps such as Safari and Spotify already have circular graphics, which fit well within a squircle.
• No Inherent Shape: Icons for apps like Notes and Maps fill the available space without a specific shape.

Impact of Circular Icons:

• Square Graphics: These will need to shrink to fit within a circular space, potentially making them less recognizable at a glance. For example, the Reddit and Slack icons would become smaller and harder to identify.
• Circular and Shapeless Graphics: These will adapt easily to the new circular shape without losing clarity or detail.

Conclusion:

While not a major usability issue, the shift to circular icons could lead to some loss of space efficiency for square graphics. Developers can choose to redesign their icons to better fit the new shape.