This tiny iOS 13 change is wreaking havoc for iPhone users

Apple is copping flack from iPhone users, due to a slight user interface change in iOS 13 causing people to accidentally delete emails from the Mail app.

Within the new version of the stock Mail app, the trash can icon is positioned where the reply button had previously been in iOS 12, causing issues for those tapping the icon through habit.

Previously, the trash icon had appeared in the centre of the display at the bottom of the screen and iOS 13 is tripping up users who aren’t yet accustomed to the change.

NBC News has collated stories from those who’re struggling with the change, causing them to root through the garbage in order to fish out those important emails.

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“I end up deleting the email by accident instead of replying to it,” user Shannon Watts told the US news service. “If I’m lucky, I’ll remember who I was replying to and then search for their name in trash. But it’s incredibly frustrating and time consuming.”

Watts isn’t the only one complaining. iPhone owners have taken to Twitter to register their displeasure at the way the tiny UI change is wreaking havoc with their muscle memory.

For UX design folks: why would Apple – who prides themselves on strong, thoughtful design – put the iOS 13 Mail app’s reply button (used often) right next to the trash button (less used + with painful consequences if you mistakenly hit it) with all this white space on the left? pic.twitter.com/CjlGjz5f3B

— James Blair (@jamesblair) October 17, 2019

Sooo….. what cruel person designed the new Mail iPhone app and replaced the reply, forward and mark with unread button with a trash can ? ?

— Sally Tucker (@sallyytucker) October 25, 2019

@Apple completely botched the mail app in iOS update. Previews don’t work. Doesn’t recognize when I read an email. The trash button is way to close to the Reply button. Horrendous. Tried writing a stern email but couldn’t even find apple support address. Figure it out @tim_cook

— Jerry G (@JerryGKnows) October 21, 2019

Thanks @Apple for the new email app redesign— for putting the Trash can icon where the Reply icon used to be.

I’ve only archived roughly every email since. ?#musclememory

— Brittany Ward (@BrittanyWard) October 10, 2019

@Apple please rethink the placement of the trash icon…. I’ve deleted so many emails in the last few weeks lol. #Apple #MoveTrashIcon pic.twitter.com/ffYpyaSxSb

— Marcus Smith (@MarcusSmithKTLA) October 19, 2019

Thank you @Apple for putting the trash icon exactly where the reply button used to be in iOS 13 Mail. Wow that’s silly.

— Stretch Armstrong (@StretchArmy) October 10, 2019

Apple hasn’t commented on the report. It isn’t rare for this to be the case, but it often gives more credence when requests for comments come in from mainstream news organisations like NBC.

The company has already released multiple updates for iOS 13 already; some to remedy bugs and others to add new features. However, this change is very much by design, so it would be surprising if the company changes course by restoring the original positions of the reply and trash buttons.

Is the position of the new icons tripping you up? Have you had to go ferreting around for emails in your trash? Drop us a line @trustedreviews on Twitter.