iOS 26.4 makes two app updates that bring back iOS 18 designs

iOS 26.4 beta 2 arrived today for developers, with two app changes that reverse iOS 26 search designs to be more like iOS 18.

Search design has reversed to iOS 18 behavior in some iOS 26.4 apps

Last week when iOS 26.4 beta 1 debuted, it came with some odd design quirks in the App Store app.

The beta revised the design of search in two ways:

1. The search button was integrated into the tab bar rather than being separated
2. The search bar was moved to the top of the screen

Both changes were reversals back to the iOS 18 behavior:

• iOS 18: Search was a standard navigation tab, and search bar was at the top of the screen
• iOS 26: Search was split out from tab bar as a standalone button, and search bar moved to bottom

In iOS 26.4 beta 1, the App Store was the only app to use the old iOS 18 design.

As a result, it seemed like a possible bug, or else a change intended to draw more attention to the App Store ad slot near the top of the screen.

But in beta 2, those theories are officially ruled out, because now these two exact changes have also been applied to the Apple Games app.

In beta 1, Games had the previous iOS 26 design for search, but in beta 2 the iOS 26.4 changes first seen in the App Store now extend to Games too.

So far, App Store and Games are the only two apps to implement these design updates.

However, now that the changes have been brought to a second app, Apple may continue spreading this new-old design to more apps before iOS 26.4 launches to the public.

Do you prefer the search bar at the bottom or top of the screen? Let us know in the comments.

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