Apple Revamps Photos App with Tabbed Interface and 3D Features in iOS 26

Apple has responded to widespread user feedback by tweaking the Photos app in its latest operating system release, iOS 26. After the major redesign in iOS 18 centralized photo organization into a single page, many users expressed dissatisfaction with the new layout. Recognizing this, Apple is bringing back a tabbed interface, though with a fresh design twist.

During the WWDC 25 keynote, Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, acknowledged that many users missed the tabs. The Photos app now features separate tabs for Library and Collections. The Collections tab houses favorites, albums, and search functionality, while the Library tab simplifies scrolling through recent photos, aligning with user preferences for easier navigation.

This update not only restores a familiar user interface element but also enhances the app’s capabilities. A standout feature in iOS 26 is the ability to transform 2D photos into immersive 3D spatial photos. This innovation, inspired by Apple’s Vision Pro spatial computing headset, can be showcased directly on the iPhone’s updated Lock Screen, offering a new way to experience personal photos.

Alongside the Photos app enhancements, the iPhone and iPad Camera app has been redesigned for improved usability. The two most frequently used capture modes—photo and video—are now prominently displayed on the main screen. Users can swipe left or right to access additional modes such as Portrait and Cinematic. For settings like flash, timer, and aperture, a swipe up from the bottom reveals these controls, while format changes like HD to 4K are just a tap away.

Apple’s willingness to revisit and refine its app designs highlights the importance of listening to user feedback in software development. The reintroduction of tabs in Photos and the addition of spatial photo features demonstrate a balance between innovation and usability. For developers and product teams, this serves as a reminder that evolution in design should be user-centric and adaptable.