What design updates are coming

Design Updates Coming in iOS 18 and CarPlay

UIKit Enhancements

In iOS 18, UIKit has received several significant updates aimed at improving the user interface and overall user experience:

1. Document Launch Experience: Redesigned launch experience for document-based apps, allowing full control over launch views and support for template document creation.
2. Tabs and Sidebar: Major updates to tabs and sidebar, including a new combined sidebar experience and customization features on iPadOS 18. The tab bars have a refreshed compact look, reducing empty space and bringing app content to the forefront.
3. Fluid Transitions: Support for new fluid transitions across the system, enhancing the visual experience.
4. SwiftUI Integration: More integrations between UIKit and SwiftUI, allowing for smoother and more cohesive app development.

For more details, you can check out the session What’s new in UIKit.

CarPlay Design System

The next generation of CarPlay introduces a deeply customizable design system that allows automakers to tailor the look and functionality of CarPlay to each vehicle:

1. Customizable Design System: A flexible layout system that adapts to different hardware configurations and design preferences.
2. Dynamic Content: Combines vehicle information with CarPlay features, including a new native climate app and terrestrial radio with high-key integration.
3. Automaker Settings and Apps: Automaker settings for integrating features seamlessly and automaker apps for surfacing unique experiences and interfaces.
4. Instrument Cluster Customization: Gauge designs customized for each automaker, supporting unique instrument cluster layouts.

For a deeper dive, you can watch the session Say hello to the next generation of CarPlay design system.

SwiftUI Improvements

SwiftUI has also seen numerous updates to enhance app design and functionality:

1. Custom Hover Effects: New custom hover effects for visionOS, providing additional context when interacting with UI elements.
2. Window Behavior and Styling: Options to customize window behavior and styling in macOS, including control over the window's toolbar and background.
3. Text Renderer API: A new API that enables advanced visual effects and animations.
4. Graphics Capabilities: New graphics capabilities, including a mix modifier on color and precompiled shaders to avoid frame drops.

For more information, you can refer to the session What’s new in SwiftUI.

Relevant Sessions

1. What’s new in UIKit
2. Say hello to the next generation of CarPlay design system
3. What’s new in SwiftUI

These sessions provide a comprehensive overview of the design updates and new features coming to iOS 18 and CarPlay.