At WWDC 2024, Apple introduced iOS 18 for release in July. One of the biggest changes with this year's platform is an upgrade for the Photos app. The update includes a revamped interface, enhanced organization tools, and new features aimed at streamlining photo discovery.
Unified Interface and Smarter Sorting
The Photos app has been redesigned to combine the photo grid with a theme-based library. This layout is intended to help users find specific images faster. The grid allows browsing by dates, months, and years, while a new filter feature lets users exclude certain types of content, like screenshots.
With iOS 18's enhanced intelligence, the app now sorts photos into collections based on factors like time, people, and events. A new “Recent Days” feature organizes daily photos, filtering out less meaningful images, and includes an autoplaying view of recent photos at the top of the screen.
Improved Sharing and Personalization
Users can now present their collections as collages and share them effortlessly. The app introduces a feature that clusters photos of favorite people, simplifying the search for images of loved ones. A new section for trips collates travel photos and offers an autoplay feature for easier browsing, with an option to highlight favored collections.
A new carousel, accessible by swiping right from the photo grid, showcases top content in a poster-like display, featuring favorited photos and offering daily surprises. Users can filter specific content types and access themed collections. The redesigned app aims to make browsing photos more intuitive and enjoyable.
iOS 18 also brings AI powered image editing to the Photos app with a “Clean Up” tool that can remove unwanted background objects, similar to Google's “magic eraser”. With these updates, the Photos app is set to provide a more seamless and personalized experience for users.
