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After user backlash, Apple brings back tabs to the Photos app in iOS 26
In response to user backlash against the Photos app redesign in iOS 18, Apple is reintroducing a tabbed interface in iOS 26. Announced at WWDC 25, the update features separate tabs for Library and Collections. Users can also enjoy a new capability to create 3D spatial photos. Additionally, the Camera app gets an update for easier access to capture modes and settings.
Key points
- Users criticized the Photos app redesign in iOS 18 for its centralized interface, leading to complaints.
- Apple acknowledged the feedback and has decided to bring back a tabbed layout in iOS 26.
- The updated Photos app will have distinct tabs for 'Library' and 'Collections', improving user navigation.
- New features include a transformation of 2D photos into 3D spatial photos, inspired by the Vision Pro headset.
- The Camera app has been improved for easier feature access, showcasing common capture modes prominently.
Why it matters
- This change reflects a larger trend in tech where user feedback increasingly influences design decisions.
- The return of tabs demonstrates the importance of user-experience in app design, a trend seen across software development.
- Apple's efforts to innovate with spatial photos align with forecasts for growth in immersive technologies and augmented reality applications by 2025.
Apple's decision to revert to a tabbed interface in the Photos app signifies its responsiveness to user preferences and highlights ongoing trends towards user-centered design in tech, especially as immersive technologies gain traction.