Rumors are swirling about a major redesign for iOS and macOS set for 2025, potentially to divert attention from ongoing concerns surrounding Apple Intelligence. As a devoted Apple user eager for a fresh update, I have one simple request: PLEASE fix the way the letter 'a' appears in the Notes app!

To understand the gravity of this plea, let’s rewind. Apple launched the San Francisco typeface with the original Apple Watch in 2015, which later became the standard font for its devices. This font family is used consistently across popular apps like Messages, Apple Music, and Maps, creating a sleek, cohesive look. However, there's a strange anomaly in the Notes app that has been driving me nuts!

Somewhere along the line, I realized that the lowercase 'a' in Notes looks different from that in other Apple applications. Unlike the typical double-storey 'a' that we encounter everywhere else, Notes displays a single-storey 'a', resembling how most people write it by hand. It’s the only native app I know of that does this!

Admittedly, this issue might seem trivial, but that makes it even more perplexing. For years, the Notes app felt off-kilter, and I couldn't articulate why. I finally pinpointed it, giving me a strange sense of closure.

Recently, while chatting about fonts with colleagues at Engadget, I brought up this curious case, only to be met with bewilderment and amusement. It seems I’m not alone in my fascination, as they found it equally weird but also amusing that I invested so much time pondering a single letter.

Motivated by curiosity, I explored Apple's font library, searching for the elusive 'Latin small letter Alpha.' It turns out that's what's showing up in Notes instead of the standard 'a.' It’s not listed among the font variations, making the whole thing even stranger.

Now, while it may appear absurd to consider this a pressing issue, it raises some interesting questions. How did this font discrepancy come about? Was it an intentional throwback to the app’s skeuomorphic design, which mimicked handwriting, or just an oversight that has lingered for years because most users probably haven't even noticed?

As we approach the upcoming redesign, I sincerely hope Apple takes the chance to address this odd font inconsistency. While I appreciate the existing Apple font, I’ve grown fond of that quirky single-storey 'a'. It’s an unsolved mystery, and I can’t help but find joy in such trivial details!