Apple Once Considered an AI Home Screen That Could Rearrange Apps

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Apple internally explored an idea that would have changed one of the iPhone’s most familiar experiences. The company considered using artificial intelligence to automatically rearrange apps on the Home Screen based on how users interact with their devices.

The detail comes from a report by The Information, which revealed that the proposal was discussed within Apple’s software leadership team but ultimately rejected.

The Idea Behind the AI-Driven Home Screen

The concept involved an Apple Intelligence feature that would dynamically adjust app placement on the Home Screen. Instead of users manually organizing apps, the system would decide where apps appear based on usage patterns and context.

The goal was to surface relevant apps when they are most likely to be needed, reducing the effort required to search through multiple pages or folders.

Why Apple Decided Not to Move Forward

The proposal was reportedly presented to software chief Craig Federighi, who decided against it. The concern was that constantly shifting app positions could disrupt how people use their phones.

Many iPhone users rely on muscle memory, opening apps by instinct rather than by reading labels. A Home Screen that changes automatically could slow users down and create confusion instead of convenience.

Apple Intelligence Is Playing the Long Game

Instead of changing how the iPhone Home Screen works, Apple focused Apple Intelligence on features that improve existing workflows in iOS 26. These include Live Translation, stronger Visual Intelligence, ChatGPT-powered image generation in Image Playground, and expanded AI-driven actions in Shortcuts.

The idea is to add intelligence without forcing users to relearn how they use their devices. Apple appears intent on keeping AI helpful and predictable, rather than disruptive.

At the same time, Apple is preparing much larger changes behind the scenes. Under Craig Federighi’s leadership, the company has been restructuring its AI strategy after years of internal delays, with a renewed push to modernize Siri.

More advanced Apple Intelligence features are expected to arrive with iOS 27, including a more conversational, chatbot-style Siri that relies on external AI models such as Google Gemini.

iGB’s Take on Apple’s AI Philosophy

This decision feels very on-brand for Apple. The company is clearly interested in AI, but not at the cost of predictability and user comfort.

Apple has always treated the iPhone Home Screen as muscle-memory territory. Once users learn where things live, Apple rarely interferes. Letting AI reshuffle apps, even with good intentions, risks breaking that trust.

What this shows is Apple’s current AI mindset. Intelligence should assist quietly in the background, not take control of how people interact with their devices. At least for now, Apple seems more focused on refining experiences than reinventing habits users have built over years.

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