Apple’s WWDC 2024 keynote was packed with exciting announcements, but one of the most impressive reveals was the complete overhaul of the Photos app in iOS 18.
The familiar tab layout at the bottom of the app is now a thing of the past. Apple has introduced a sleek, unified interface where you can navigate your photos primarily by swiping and scrolling.
I’ll go over the 4 major changes coming to the Photos app, which Apple is calling the most significant redesign in its history, that will go head-to-head with Google Photos.
A Unified Photo Library
The new Photos app in iOS 18 is organized into a single screen split into two main sections: your Photo Library and a new feature called Collections.
Your Photo Library, previously the main view in iOS 17, now sits at the upper half of the screen. To navigate through your library, you swipe down, revealing a grid of all your photos.
A toolbar at the bottom allows you to filter your view by year or month, making it easier to locate specific images.
Apple has also introduced a filter button for the Photo Library. This tool lets you filter by photo types, such as images, videos, and favorites, and exclude certain types of content, like screenshots, offering a more streamlined browsing experience.
The Carousel Feature
The upper half of the screen isn’t just about your Photo Library. It also includes a beautiful new Carousel feature, which you can access by swiping to the right.
The Carousel displays featured photos and favorites in a visually appealing, poster-like view. Apple describes it as highlighting your best content, with the featured images updating daily to keep things fresh.
Of course, you can customize which images appear in the Carousel, adding a personal touch to the feature.
Exploring Collections
Below your Photo Library is the Collections section, designed to help you find specific photos or rediscover old favorites.
Collections organizes your images by time and topic. The Recent Days section shows the shots you’ve taken recently, starting with today’s photos and allowing you to swipe through previous days to find recent snaps.
Each day features an auto-playing slideshow of your shots. Collections also organizes photos by topics such as Trips, People and Pets, favorite memories, and more.
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The People and Pets section uses facial recognition to create a grid of faces, making it easy to locate photos of specific individuals or animals.
There’s also a Pinned Collections section for quick access to groups of photos you frequently revisit.
As with many aspects of iOS 18, Collections can be customized to display the topics that are most relevant to you.
Apple Intelligence Integration
When Apple Intelligence launches later this year, the Photos app will significantly benefit from its capabilities. However, this feature will only be available to users of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Apple Intelligence brings a Clean Up tool that allows you to remove unwanted objects from the background of photos with a simple tap, similar to Google Pixel’s Magic Eraser.
Moreover, Apple Intelligence can create new content, such as memory movies. With a description of the event, like a fishing trip, the AI selects appropriate photos and videos, organizes them into chapters, and even plays background music.
You can also use Apple Intelligence to create new images featuring specific people from your Photos Library or turn photos into Genmoji for use in Messages.
Bottom Line
The iOS 18 Photos app represents a significant step forward in terms of usability, functionality, and overall user experience.
With its streamlined navigation, enhanced editing tools, and thoughtful new features, Apple has made managing and enjoying your photo library easier and more enjoyable than ever.
Whether you’re a casual user or a photography enthusiast, iOS 18’s updates are sure to enhance your daily interactions with your iPhone’s Photos app.
