The grid is till locked (hasn't been on Android for ~10 years), but now they allow almost Android-like rearranging of icons and widgets.
So while home screens appear to be no longer limited to four columns of apps and seven rows (including the dock), actually, they still are. The difference is that users can decide where to place apps in that grid, and while Apple guides them, it doesn't force apps into the next available slot in the grid.
Desktop icons? Like the icons for apps? It’s had that as long as I can remember
The grid is till locked (hasn't been on Android for ~10 years), but now they allow almost Android-like rearranging of icons and widgets.
https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/06/11/how-ios-18-lets-you-neatly-rearrange-app-icons-and-home-screen-widgets