Post

I fussed around with this oddball Search tab/button pattern SO MUCH before iOS 26 came out. The new iOS design language has many different ways to accomplish similar things, and affordances are less differentiated, so it's really hard to know what's "right." ryanashcraft.com/ios-26-tab-b...

ryanashcraft.comMy Beef with the iOS 26 Tab BarThe iOS 26 search tab looks more like an action button than a tab. That's causing problems for developers like me who want to follow Apple's guidelines.

10/1/26, 4:46 am0 reposts9 likes

Jonas Downey

@jonas.do

10 Jan

We ended up running with the button-tab pattern for @helloweather.com, but used a location pin icon (to indicate "Location search") instead of a search icon. Still not convinced that was the best call, but we kinda tried to split the difference.

Alberto Calvo

@intemperie.me

10 Jan

Yeah, as a strong defender of the old tab bar’s principles, I find the new one by far my least favorite part of the new language. I get confused by the search every single time, or by how it collapses “cleverly” in apps like Music or Podcasts 😢

Jonas Downey

@jonas.do

10 Jan

Agreed, I think because it breaks longstanding muscle memory? Or creates disorientation because too much core UI shifts around when the tab is focused, so you lose your sense of place for a few moments. Can't exactly put my finger on it, but it still throws me off and I haven't gotten used to it

Phil Kast

@philkast.com

10 Jan

It’s way tougher to reimplement a tab bar now, too. Before if it didn’t do what you wanted you could just make your own. But there’s no API for that bubbly interactive slider effect.