iOS 18.2 Addresses a Major Frustration in the Photos App

With the release of iOS 18, Apple unveiled a completely redesigned interface for its Photos app, which had remained virtually unchanged for years. While some users welcomed the update, others have expressed mixed feelings about the new design. A particularly frustrating element of the updated Photos app is being addressed by Apple in the forthcoming iOS 18.2 update.

Apple Updates the Video Player in iOS 18 Photos App

In the latest beta of iOS 18.2, released to developers this Monday, Apple has made a crucial adjustment to the video player in the Photos app. In earlier versions of iOS 18, videos were shown with white borders, requiring users to tap the screen for full-screen viewing. The new update ensures that videos now play in full screen by default, similar to how they functioned in previous iOS releases.

The refreshed video playback features, including the new scrollbar and controls, remain intact, but the white surrounding space has been eliminated. Users can now simply tap the screen to toggle the visibility of the interface buttons, as was the case before the iOS 18 update.

Personally, I was never a fan of the revamped video interface in the iOS 18 Photos app, so I’m pleased to see Apple reverting to a more familiar layout. This change suggests that many users were dissatisfied with the previous design.

Since the initial beta of iOS 18.0 in June, Apple has implemented numerous modifications to the Photos app, responding to feedback from both users and developers. The app has become fully customizable, though this complete overhaul in navigation has led some to find the interface overly complicated.

Throughout the iOS 18 development phase, several more substantial design alterations were also rolled back, including the highlight carousel that was removed in the iOS 18.0 beta 5. This situation is reminiscent of Apple’s previous attempt to implement a significant redesign to Safari, which resulted in the return of the classic layout after widespread user dissatisfaction.

It’s important to note that iOS 18.2 is expected to be publicly released in December.

What do you think about the new Photos app experience in iOS 18? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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