The unique iPhone clownfish wallpaper got here again for iOS 16
Not every little thing will likely be new at WWDC — Apple is planning to revisit a few of its iconic iPhone and Mac wallpapers as a part of the most recent updates.
The report of retro wallpapers comes from Bloomberg, however there’s already a precedent for this. As a part of iOS 16 in 2022, Apple introduced again the clownfish wallpaper from 2007.
This was the very first iPhone wallpaper ever seen in public, because it was the one on the mannequin that Steve Jobs demonstrated.
You may bear in mind this should you ever had an unique iPad
Much less well-remembered is that the unique iPhone additionally got here with a alternative of wallpapers that included the Mona Lisa and Vincent Van Gogh’s The Starry Night time. Nonetheless much less memorable choices included one with a dot sample that resembled a miniature sport of Tornado.
The Mac initially had nothing that could possibly be referred to as a wallpaper or desktop picture. Then in System 7, Apple added desktop patterns — and in Mac OS 8 and 9, there got here the power to have photographs.
Nevertheless it wasn’t actually till OS X got here alongside that Apple started together with wallpapers. At first, these OS X photographs have been summary colours resembling the working system’s Aqua interface.
Mac OS X Leopard in 2007 started an period of space-themed wallpapers for the Mac.
Then with Mac OS X Leopard in 2007, the sweeping blue shapes have been gone, and a space-themed picture was in. It was nonetheless somewhat summary, although, till OS X Lion when Apple featured a picture of a galaxy.
It has been for the reason that change to naming macOS after locations in California that probably the most well-known Mac wallpapers have appeared. We have had many mountain ranges and sand dunes — and Apple launched Dynamic Wallpapers.
These have a darkish and a lightweight model, and the Mac can swap between them because the day progresses. This nonetheless applies right now, although as soon as Apple moved on to macOS Large Sur, it is reverted from images to summary colours once more.
Extra dramatic and doubtlessly helpful dynamic wallpapers exist on the iPhone. Customers can have their Lock Display be a globe that spins round to pinpoint their location on Earth, as an example.
From Apple’s location pictures phrase, this was 2019’s OS X Catalina
Or there is a climate wallpaper the place the iPhone animates, as an example, clouds transferring throughout the display screen.
Left: the Darkish model of macOS Sonoma’s wallpaper. Proper: the Gentle one.
It is not recognized but whether or not Apple will truly revive previous favorites, prefer it did with the clownfish, or simply have new wallpapers which might be ultimately paying homage to the classics. No matter Apple brings again as a part of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, or the subsequent model of macOS, although, it must replace them for right now’s increased decision screens.
A choice of Susan Kare’s unique Mac icons that absolutely ought to make a comeback
That could be all it does. However 40 years after she designed the icons for the unique Mac, it could be enjoyable to see Susan Kare’s work up to date to turn out to be high-resolution, dynamic wallpapers.