After a relatively stable three-month public and developer beta period, Apple has pushed out the much-anticipated iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 software update to all eligible devices, which encompasses iPhone models as far back as the iPhone 6s to iPad models as old as the 2014 iPad Air 2 and the 2015 iPad mini 4. 

While this year neither iOS nor iPadOS sees any sort of radical redesign, the software update does bring its fair share of minor layout changes, new widget options, and a reimagined look to the native Safari web browser. 

Pocket-lint has recapped everything you need to know about iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 right here, so if you’re interested in checking that out, click here

As for what’s new in Safari, Apple initially sought to completely upend the web browser’s entire user interface by moving the URL bar from the top of the screen to the very bottom in some new type of all-in-one integrated taskbar. 

However, after tremendous push back from the beta community testing the new update, Apple ultimately reverted back to the original layout most users are accustomed to by default, instead adding a new option in Settings that allows users to toggle the controversial design should they so choose. 

To do so, simply head over to Settings, then tap Safari, and you should immediately be greeted with a graphical prompt asking which layout you’d prefer. 

The Safari changes aren’t exclusive to iOS, as iPadOS is also seeing an optional Safari redesign as well. Initially, Apple hoped to seamlessly integrate the discrete tab bar with the uppermost URL bar as an all-in-one, but again, user feedback prompted Apple to revert to the original look with an option in Settings to choose the newer layout. 

Apple releases iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 to all photo 1
Apple

Other iPad OS changes include the ability to add widgets anywhere on the home screen, and support for Swift Playgrounds, so developers can create iOS apps directly from an iOS device. 

Again, you can check out Pocket-lint’s guide to iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 right here