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A recent thread on Reddit inspired Apple fans to recollect their favorite default wallpapers for their iPhones. The conversation prompted the users to share different past iPhone wallpapers from past iOS updates.
One of the wallpapers that stood out in the conversation is the famous clownfish wallpaper. The wallpaper features the fish swimming through a sea anemone. It is one of the simplest wallpapers Apple has released, but it made a mark when Steve Jobs used the wallpaper when the first iPhone of Apple was unveiled. The beta fish in iPhone 6S, which even features live versions, also entered the list.
Meanwhile, while Apple also included sea-themed wallpapers in earlier iOS updates, most fans find the sea waves wallpapers on iOS 12 and 11 the most appealing choices.
Some users also shared the two famous starry night skies wallpapers Apple released in iOS 7 and 8. The starry, cloudy night of iOS 7 is one of the best ones that turned heads when it was released in iOS 7, which received a significant redesign from Apple. To recall, Apple started the support of dynamic wallpapers in the said update, but the company still chose the starry night wallpaper as the default of the system update, making it more memorable for many.
The picture of a mountain and lake in front of a night sky with the trails of moving stars captured via long exposure times was also mentioned by users. This is one of the most nostalgic wallpapers introduced by Apple. It was included in the iOS 3 update, but it gained fame when Jobs used the image in unveiling the first iPad in 2010. Users also mentioned iOS 3’s water droplets on frosted glass and blue marble Earth planet wallpapers.
As expected, many also pointed out how revolutionary Apple’s Depth Effect is. The feature allows layering with the subject of your photo using AI-based image processing. This produces a multi-layered effect, allowing the system’s clock moves between the foreground and background.


On the other hand, while the majority of users in the thread voted for the picturesque wallpapers from Apple, others opted for the abstract and symmetrical wallpapers. This includes those released from iOS 8 to iOS 16. iOS 17 is also expected to release its own version of the gradient abstract wallpapers, which should be available in light and dark versions.
How about you? What’s your favorite iOS wallpaper? Let us know in the comment section!