iPhone users 'scared' as Apple's biggest iOS update in over a decade looms
With just hours to go before Apple’s WWDC 2025 kicks off, iPhone users are starting to be fearful about what might be on the way.
WWDC, Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, is set for today, 9th June.
It’s already shaping up to be one of the company’s most transformative events with a rumoured iOS overhaul.
According to mounting leaks and official hints, iOS is about to get a complete visual glow-up, with Apple reportedly borrowing design cues from its futuristic VisionOS — to become the biggest update since iOS 7 dropped in 2013.
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But while tech insiders and YouTube creators like iJustine are buzzing about “transparent windows, glass interface elements” and “flowing navigation,” regular iPhone users seem far less enthusiastic. In particular, it’s those still holding on to older devices.
On a Reddit thread titled “Excited for iOS 26?”, a wave of concerned users shared their apprehension about the upcoming update. And it’s not just mild anxiety, some are genuinely dreading what’s to come.
One anxious user wrote: “Not excited, scared. I already think iOS is pretty visually perfect, and every new mockup I’ve seen looks terrible, so I’m worried it’s gonna feel like a downgrade tbh,” wrote user primalanomaly.
“I still hate recent changes like the iOS 18 Photos app, so I’ve lost some faith in their design teams.”
Others are worried about how the update, which could mark Apple’s biggest UI shift in over a decade, will affect performance on ageing hardware.
A further Redditor admitted: “I’m scared for my 5-year-old 11 Pro,”. Another added: “I’m scared for my 12 Pro Max.”
Responding to the latter, a user responded: “I totally forget I still have this phone as my device as it works so well. Like you, I do fear I may have to upgrade as this phone may not get along with the new iOS.”
The fear is rooted in experience. Major design changes often come at a performance cost for older devices, and with rumours suggesting iOS 26 will not only be visually ambitious but also packed with new AI-driven features and interface reworks, users worry their phones might struggle to keep up — or worse, be left behind entirely.
Beyond hardware concerns, there’s also a growing sense of disillusionment with Apple’s direction. A top commenter in the thread summed it up bluntly in their reply: “No, I want the current bugs to be fixed. I don't think Apple has a vision or direction for iOS, and thus I am bored not excited.”
While Apple hasn’t officially confirmed all the changes, the signs are there. Its own WWDC website now teases a “Sleek Peak” with a frosted glass Apple logo — a not-so-subtle nod to the VisionOS aesthetic. Meanwhile, those aforementioned reports shared by tech creators suggest Apple may ditch its traditional numbering system and jump straight to iOS 26, aligning its software naming with the calendar year across platforms.
It’s all part of a sweeping shift that could unify the Apple ecosystem, but not everyone’s on board.
For now, users are bracing themselves. Whether iOS 26 brings about a bold new era or a performance headache remains to be seen until we likely hear more on Monday.