Apple hoped to redesign the Safari web browser in iOS 15 by moving the Address bar to the bottom of the screen. But there was so much pushback from beta testers that the latest prerelease version includes the option to move the Address Bar back to the top. iPhone users can still keep it at the bottom, though.
And there’s also a much-requested design change for those who decide to keep the Address Bar at the bottom.
Bottom or top: It’s your choice
A highlight of iOS 15 is a redesign of Safari. But with the sixth beta, released Tuesday, Apple lets iPhone users opt out of all the changes.
After this change, a visit to Settings > Safari finds the option to switch between a Tab Bar at the bottom of the screen or a Single Tab at the top.
Safari in iOS 15 beta 6 drops controversial floating Address Bar
Those who choose to stay with the Address Bar at the bottom of the screen will nevertheless see a major change. The floating Address Bar that was going to be in iOS 15’s Safari web browser is no more. In the sixth beta it’s attached to the bottom of the screen.
There had been complaints from beta testers that it sometimes obscured the web page behind it.
Follow the bouncing web browser
iPhone users shouldn’t feel like they’re being singled out as something similar happened to iPad. Apple made significant design changes to Safari in iPadOS 15 — combining the Tab Bar and the Address Bar — but then gave users the option to disable most of the revisions in a later beta. And it also happened with Safari in macOS Monterey in mid-July.
But Tuesday’s iPadOS 15 beta 6 doesn’t redesign Safari for iPad yet again. Apple hasn’t yet introduced macOS Monterey beta 6.
The latest iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 betas are currently only for registered and paying members of the Apple Developer Program. But public versions should be out soon.
