Apple has always been stingy when it comes to customizing the home screen on the iPhone. Yes, you can move icons and folders around, but that’s about it; it’s a far cry from the level of customization you get on Android phones, or even on the same iPhone’s lock screen.
This is likely to change. According to MacRumors, citing sources familiar with the matter, Apple is planning a major overhaul of the home screen with iOS 18, which is likely to be unveiled during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.
iOS 18: 2 new features rumored to be coming to your iPhone
You will not get complete freedom; app and folder icons will remain locked to the invisible grid, just as they are now. But MacRumors claims that users will be able to arrange icons more freely, with the ability to create empty spaces, rows and columns between app icons.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recently mentioned that Apple also plans to introduce a “more customizable” Lock Screen, though he didn’t share any additional details.
Apple’s iOS 18 aims to become a mass release; reports say Apple plans to introduce new generative artificial intelligence features, new Live Speech options, the ability to trigger accessibility settings with your voice, RCS messaging support, and design changes, among other things.