A concept video of what a unified Control Center and multitasking interface would look like in iOS 8 has been created by designer Bill Labus and posted by TheTechBlock (via Cult of Mac).


The version of iOS 8 in the video shows the app switcher and user settings in one unified view accessed by a single swipe up gesture. Users are free to multitask or toggle preferences such as music volume and WiFi, as the buttons for the toggles themselves have been combined into one space to allow for more room. The video also shows a refined Notification Center that features a minimalistic look with more centered text, which is triggered by a swipe gesture down.

ios8_control_center2
Labus also noted his reasons for making such changes to integrate the multitasking switcher into Control Center:

Unfortunately, I find double-clicking the home button to be irritating- there's a noticeable delay between the second click and the multitasking view appearing, and in my haste I often accidentally triple-click the home button, forcing me to wait while the OS bounces into, and back out of, multitasking. Control Center's bottom edge gesture is far faster and easier to perform, however as I said I do use Control Center frequently as well, so I wouldn't necessarily want to swap the two and use the home button double click to bring up Control Center.

Apple introduced Control Center and a refined version of multitasking with the release of iOS 7 last fall. While an overhaul or unification of both is unlikely to happen with any immediate update to iOS 7, it is possible that Apple could make major changes in time for iOS 8, which will likely be released this fall.

Related Forums: iOS 7, iOS 8

Top Rated Comments

OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
153 months ago
These random concepts are so stupid. Waste your time looking at something some random guy came up with that has absolutely zero connection to what Apple is planning internally.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SpamJunkie Avatar
153 months ago
It's gorgeous. I think this is only going to make me more disappointed with the real iOS 8 :(
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
musika Avatar
153 months ago
Some of the UI elements look nice, but I'd like to keep Control Center and multitasking separate. The two have little to do with each other in my mind, and Control Center is clumsy enough already.

I really do appreciate some of the care that went into the UI concept, though. And they even made the home screen icons look decent.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
springsup Avatar
153 months ago
I like it; it's nice. I'm particularly happy that it means less of the blur effects (those are going to look really dated in a year or so).

I'm less happy with the multitasking panel. You end up seeing the earliest notifications first, which means you can't just peek at it.

While they're at it, they could reverse the direction in which the multitasking panels appear. The apps I opened longest ago should be towards the far-left end of the list (in locales with a left-to-right writing system). I always double-take when I open that screen; it feels like I'm reading book where the pages turn the wrong way.

The same is true of the lock-screen. This is an artefact of the pre-iOS 7 days, when there was a slider to drag along a track. Now that you directly move the lockscreen itself, it feels weird to drag the screen from left to right in order to go "forwards".
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nikaru Avatar
153 months ago
These random concepts are so stupid. Waste your time looking at something some random guy came up with that has absolutely zero connection to what Apple is planning internally.

Well, they are not stupid. Its how software designers look for a job. Apple is constantly checking the internet for ideas coming from the Apple community. Its not like Apple designers are cut off from every type of communication with the outside world. If Apple likes some of the concept images, they will contact the creator and offer him a job. Its a way for the designer to show his portfolio to the world.

I like concept images made by the community, even if they dont show in any way what Apple is planning. However, they are good example of what we can achive with the current technology and how the things can get improved.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macUser2007 Avatar
153 months ago
We'll probably see a launcher like this in the Android Play Store in a couple of months.... ;)

If iOS had the option of user-installed launchers like Android, we probably would have, too. :rolleyes:

I generally love Apple's esthetics, but the functionality and even the UI of iOS are a bit stale in a few areas. And the keyboards suck, too. :p
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

ios 26 1 slide to stop

iOS 26.1 Brings Back 2007 Feature in New Way

Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important. Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped. The new ...
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock 1

Leaker Outlines Potential New Colors for iPhone 18 Pro

Friday October 31, 2025 8:28 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be available in new rich and warm color option, according to a known leaker. The Weibo user known as "Instant Digital" today suggested that next-year's iPhone 18 Pro models will be available in at least one of the following color options: Coffee, purple, and burgundy. The iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Pro were all available in ...
Apple Foldable Thumb

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Friday October 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far. Ove...
apple tv hd

Apple Launched Its Big New Vision for TV 10 Years Ago Today

Thursday October 30, 2025 8:58 am PDT by
Apple launched the Apple TV HD, the Siri Remote, tvOS, and their accompanying App Store a decade ago today, marking a major overhaul of the device. The new vision for the Apple TV was unveiled on September 9, 2015 during Apple's "Hey Siri" event in San Francisco, where CEO Tim Cook introduced the device with the statement, "The future of TV is apps." The announcement represented a major...
iOS 26

Apple This November: iOS 26.2 Beta, Rumored New Products, and More

Thursday October 30, 2025 12:42 pm PDT by
Tomorrow is Halloween, and then November is upon us. Below, we outline what to expect from Apple next month, as the slower holiday season approaches. Apple is expected to kick off November by releasing iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1. With beta testing now wrapped up, the updates will likely be released this Monday, November 3 or Tuesday,...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Apple CEO Tim Cook Says Revamped Siri on Track to Launch Next Year

Thursday October 30, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Apple CEO Tim Cook today said that a more personalized version of Siri remains on track to launch at some point next year, with the new set of features expected to debut on the iPhone as part of iOS 26.4 in March or April. "We're also excited for a more personalized Siri," said Cook, on Apple's earnings call for the third quarter of the 2025 calendar year. "We're making good progress on it,...