iPhone notifications could be changing, hints iOS 15 leak

iPhone 12
The new purple iPhone 12 will be in line for an update. (Image credit: Apple)

The latest version of new iPhone software, iOS 15, could bring some useful new tweaks to notifications, according to some well-placed inside sources.

Expected to be unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2021), which starts on June 7, the way you interact with those regular pings of info could well be changing.

Mark Gurman at Bloomberg – usually a reliable source of Apple leaks – is claiming the upcoming software update will bring with it improvements to notification handling.

You'll be able to modify the sounds and vibrations an alert makes based on what you're doing at the time (working, driving or sleeping for example), as Apple presumably attempts to bring you the right information you need at the right time.

The auto-reply feature in iOS is also getting an upgrade apparently, to accommodate these new context signals – you'll be able to ping anyone who's bothering you with messages to tell them that you're currently fast asleep or on the road.

Further upgrades are said to be in the pipeline for iMessage: it seems Apple is keen to turn the encrypted messaging app into more of an all-encompassing social media platform, and one that can better compete with WhatsApp (though it still won't be available to Android users).

That move will perplex some users outside of the US, where iMessage is dominant, but such is WhatsApp's popularity worldwide that Apple needs to be bringing some of the same updates to its messaging platform to compete.

iPadOS 15 updates

Let's not forget about the iPad, because there are changes coming to iPadOS too. The home screen is rumored to be getting an overhaul, with widget support getting updated so that it matches what's possible on the iPhone.

In other words, widgets won't just be restricted to one part of the screen in iPadOS 15: you'll be able to place widgets anywhere you like on screen, and replace all of the home screen icons with widgets if you want to.

The article – written from information put forward by "people with knowledge of the matter" – also mentions new measures to stop apps sharing user data (such as current locations and phone numbers) secretly in the background.

Gurman himself notes that any of these features could get delayed or canceled at this stage, so we won't know for sure what's coming until Tim Cook gets up on stage on June 7 – and we will of course be reporting on all the WWDC 2021 announcements.

David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

Read more
iOS 18 Control Center
iOS 18.4: 5 new features to expect, including Ambient Music and Photos filtering
iOS 18 Control Center
iOS 19: the 3 biggest rumors so far, and what I want to see
Apple's Craig Federighi demonstrates the iPhone Mirroring feature of macOS Sequoia at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.
Report: iOS 19 and macOS 16 could mark their biggest design overhaul in years – and we have one request
Apple Intelligence running on a range of Apple devices.
Huge Apple Intelligence upgrade expected for Mail as part of macOS Sequoia 15.4 free update
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
The iPhone 17 and iOS 19 rumored to be coming with a Camera app redesign inspired by the Vision Pro
Apple’s new Invites app gives iCloud Plus subscribers an easier way to organize parties – and Android fans are invited too
iOS 19 could give our iPhones a long-awaited redesign, according to the new Invites and leaked Camera apps
Latest in iPhone
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
Three iPhone 16 handsets on show
Apple could launch an iPhone 17 Ultra this year – but we've heard these rumors before
Apple iPhone 16 Pro on sky blue background with don't miss text overlay
Verizon has just quietly debuted its best iPhone 16 Pro deal yet - get it for free alongside a plan that costs just $25/mo
Apple iPhone 16e on blue background with big savings text overlay
Total Wireless' latest iPhone 16e deal gets you $300 off plus a cheap plan for a year
The Apple iPhone 16e held at a slant at a window
From iPhone to Android and (almost) back again – the iPhone 16e failed to lure me back to iOS
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
The latest iPhone 17 Pro Max leak may have given us another look at its upcoming redesign
Latest in News
Google Pixel 8a in aloe green showing
Google Pixel 9a benchmark link teases the performance of the upcoming mid-ranger
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #1148)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #379)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #645)
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
A super close up image of the Google Gemini app in the Play Store
It's official: Google Assistant will be retired for phones this year, with Gemini taking over