Apple ought to launch customization ‘theme packs’ to maintain its gadgets extra enjoyable

Famously, throughout the launch of the primary iPad, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs as soon as claimed that “expertise alone will not be sufficient,” arguing that it was “expertise married with the liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields the outcomes that makes our hearts sing.” That was usually taken as a bit pretentious on Jobs’ half, however the final level was that expertise should not be an insular factor. Gadgets are utilized by people, and people care concerning the creative. They need pleasing type components. They need good fonts. They need to have the ability to draw, listen to music, and browse their pictures, not simply jam out spreadsheets and code in essentially the most environment friendly manner doable.

Apple has principally carried on that precept, if not taken it to extremes when you think about gadgets just like the iPhone Air. However for all of that, it appears to me that the corporate is lacking out on an apparent approach to exploit its philosophy that does not contain spending a fortune on new classes or type components, and even new apps and equipment: giving prospects extra methods to customise software program on a extra frequent foundation. It is a easy thought, however there’s loads price elaborating on.

What’s improper with what Apple’s already doing?

Work to rule

I would not say Apple is doing something improper, per se. Its huge September updates to iOS, macOS, and iPadOS inevitably embrace new wallpapers and customization choices, as an illustration altering what you are able to do with widgets or your lockscreen. tvOS will get occasional screensaver additions, whereas watchOS will get just a few new watchfaces, and up to date “seasonal” shade palettes. Apple is overdue for launching a third-party face gallery, however I digress.

My challenge is the remainder of the yr. The corporate releases a tiny little bit of Black Historical past Month materials in February, and related Delight Month materials in June…after which, just about nothing. There’s not often any materials related to Christmas, Eid, Hanukkah, Diwali, or different main non secular holidays, and principally secular occasions like July 4th and Halloween get quick shrift, too. Even if you’re deeply invested in issues like black historical past and LGBT rights, you is likely to be dissatisfied by what Apple places out. The 2025 Black Historical past pack consisted of a single Unity wallpaper in just a few variations, and a single watchface restricted to an imprecise analog dial with simply two problems. Look, a lot of my household is black — however I must know time right down to the minute, and I have been spoiled by the Modular Extremely face, which permits as much as seven problems.

To be honest, lots of people are superb with current choices, and like their very own wallpapers anyway. I am in all probability far too invested in customized wallpapers, the truth is — my iPhone’s homescreen cycles via dozens of them each week, and I am all the time on the hunt for extra. I do know a whole lot of different individuals are superb with a single image of their accomplice, household, or pet.

There’s undoubtedly a bunch on the market, although, that might get enthusiastic about new customizations dropping each month, or no less than each few months. Everybody likes free stuff, and Apple has entry to lots of {of professional} artists, in addition to the center of its working programs. It may pull off some distinctive visible aptitude. If it wished to, it may launch new icon packs, new filters, and new fonts, permitting everybody to create a glance that is one-of-a-kind. That might be a superb approach to upend the pliability its rivals are identified for.

These modifications would not essentially persuade anybody to purchase an iPhone or a Mac for the primary time, however it could be one other incentive to remain within the Apple ecosystem. Individuals leaping ship to Android or Home windows may miss their month-to-month hit, a lot in the identical manner that I might miss my weekly hit from Spotify’s Launch Radar if I jumped ship to Apple Music. After I phrase it that manner, it is obscure why Apple is not already invested in an idea like theme packs.

The obstacles

What’s holding Apple again, and a few remaining ideas

The obvious rationalization on paper is that Apple has restricted sources. That may sound ludicrous to a few of you, since I am speaking a couple of four-trillion greenback megacorporation, however the firm does have many alternative product strains, all of which demand an enormous quantity of labor simply assist their current software program. The thought of splitting or increasing sources to make issues somewhat prettier could also be laborious to justify, notably with Apple Intelligence and Siri nonetheless languishing years behind Google Gemini. The thought of ramping up customization might not have even crossed the C-suite’s thoughts. Heck, it is on the verge of reinvigorating its smart home lineup via merchandise like a hub show.

It is fairly clear, nonetheless, that Apple truly does have sources to spare. It spent billions of {dollars} on its Apple Automotive challenge, participating in a poaching struggle with Tesla, solely to cancel it unceremoniously because it wavered on what the final word purpose was. Essentially the most we obtained out of it — if something — might have been CarPlay Extremely and a few enhancements to Apple Maps. If it may possibly afford that, it may possibly afford to dedicate just a few million {dollars} yearly in the direction of one thing extra of its prospects can benefit from.

Maybe Apple is fearful about sustaining a constant aesthetic. It is a generally accepted purpose why Apple took so lengthy to allow us to tint icons a unique shade, and why it nonetheless limits watchfaces. The extra customizable issues are, the upper the possibility of clashing and even damaged interface components, which could flip some individuals off and have an effect on word-of-mouth. Actually, some customers appeared to throw style out the window when iOS 18 arrived.

It is as much as prospects to determine what constitutes “style,” although. Somebody who buys an Apple product would not simply contemplate it a portal into different services — they (rightfully) contemplate it their property and an extension of their character. Most individuals are additionally good sufficient to acknowledge that in the event that they tweak one thing, and it would not look nice, that is likely to be their very own fault. If I do not just like the look of a neon-green kitchen renovation, I will blame my very own choices, not the corporate that offered me the brushes and paint cans.

Is there an opportunity Apple goes to take up the thought of extra content material releases and customization choices, maybe beginning with iOS 27? It is doable, however I doubt it. Rumors counsel that Apple’s huge focus in 2026 shall be creating an interface for the iPhone Fold, demanding not only a larger and extra versatile format, however the addition of multi-window assist and another fully new features. It isn’t even clear that Apple will ship on the Siri upgrades it first promised in 2024. I am simply hoping that op-eds like this can hold the significance of personalization on Apple’s radar by making a sound enterprise case.