Apple has added several noteworthy features in the fifth beta version of iOS 18, which was released recently. The design of the Photos app has been updated, a new option has been added to the Safari browser, and there are a few other minor changes.
Apple responded to feedback from early users of the new Photos app and made additional changes to its design. Specifically, the carousel that allowed users to scroll through various photo collections from the main photo grid has been removed, making the app less confusing and eliminating duplicate elements.
Now, when opened, a photo grid is displayed with more photos fitting on the screen; you can also scroll down the grid to access collections. Users with multiple albums will see them at the top of the app, and recently saved materials are now integrated into the "Recent Days" collection. The order of the collections can be changed.
The Safari browser has a new option that allows users to hide distracting elements on web pages: pop-up cookie settings, GDPR compliance notifications, newsletter subscription banners, autoplay videos, and other annoying things.
This is not an ad blocker: ad banners can be hidden while viewing the page, but if the page is reloaded, the ads will return because the feature works only with static elements. To use the feature, go to Settings and select "Hide Distracting Elements" — then you can choose which elements to hide; you can also later select "Show Hidden Elements" in the same place. Synchronization of this feature is not supported, so elements will need to be hidden on each device individually.
When long-pressing on the home screen and selecting the "Edit" function, a new "Edit Pages" option appears — here you can delete or hide entire home screen pages. Some dark mode parameters have been reworked, including the design of the Maps and Find My icons; the app search interface in dark mode has been fixed, as it previously remained light. Apple also reworked several small interface elements, including icons in the Control Center.
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