Apple unveiled its new unified design language called Liquid Glass for iOS 26 at this year’s WWDC event. But ever since the update went live, it has become a hot topic of debate on the internet, with some people appreciating the design refresh, and others mocking it to the ground. So here’s my two cents on it.
What’s the Big Deal about Liquid Glass?
Liquid Glass brings a translucent overhaul throughout the entire OS. You will see it in the Control Center, tab bar, menu toggles, or buttons. All these elements act like shiny, polished glass surfaces, reflecting and refracting light from the background. It is a big departure from Apple’s previous design language, not just on iPhones but their entire product lineup.
The new material is dynamic, transforming, stretching, squeezing, and expanding as you interact with the interface. The effect closely resembles droplets of water moving around on top of your apps and home screen. Apple says they were inspired by the depth and dimension of visionOS, which helped them achieve this new look.
Unpacking My Thoughts on Liquid Glass
After watching the WWDC presentation, I was excited to experience this new leap in Apple’s design language, like a kid on Christmas Eve. However, when my iPhone booted with iOS 26, my first reaction was one of regret—I felt I had made a huge mistake. It was too different from the iOS I was used to, and it felt strange.
At first, I wanted to jump on the hate bandwagon on X. I felt like ranting with the rest of the crowd on why Apple has done messed it up. I had the post ready and everything. But I gave some time for my feelings to simmer down, tried out the nuances in Liquid Glass that Apple raved about. You know what? It isn’t as bad as I initially thought.
I like the glass motif and how everything has a consistent look. The previously pale icons now appear bubbly and pop on the home screen. The pages now fill the entire screen with menus and tab bars floating on top of them instead of hijacking the bottom space. They have also been rounded off, which feels modern.
The interface feels seamlessly connected, with pages expanding fluidly from the selected option instead of appearing out of thin air. As you scroll, tabs and menus stretch and collapse smoothly. Tapping on any item shows a droplet of water, acting like an indicator, moving along with your touch. It’s a cool effect seeing the droplet refract light, distort icons, and bounce around like real water.
More Than Just Glass: Some Overlooked Changes
Despite the changes, the design doesn’t stray away from the simplicity that many love about Apple’s OS. In fact, it builds upon it. There are other minor changes that many have overlooked in this Liquid Glass buzz. Like most apps, they now feature a search bar at the bottom, making most menus, items, and settings accessible, especially on large-screen devices.
Certain buttons and options have also been enlarged, making them easier, especially for folks like me with large sausage fingers. The keyboard is revamped and now looks closer to Google’s Gboard on Android. And I am loving the new “Clear” theme, which lets my wallpaper shine through the icons and folders on the home screen.
Seeing Through the Cracks of Liquid Glass
I bet you must be wondering why I overlooked the awful control center, which everyone can’t stop complaining about, the inconsistent spacing in settings, or the new, oversimplified Camera app. Well, I was saving my hottest takes for last.
Firstly, I have mixed opinions on the new Camera app layout. I am personally not a fan of the dumbed-down, simplistic look, but I can also see why Apple did this. It is more one-handed friendly now, allowing you to bring up menus with a swipe-up gesture. It also caters to Apple’s majority of casual users who just want to point and shoot.
Now, if you don’t like the Liquid Glass design, then that’s okay because it’s a matter of personal preference. But I think it’s premature to complain about the lack of blur on the Control Center, spacing issues, and app crashes this early. This build is called “Developer Beta 1” which means it’s expected to have these kinds of problems. By its very nature, it’s not meant for everyone.
It’s like hating on a burger because you ate raw ingredients. Let it cook! Apple could improve these issues over the coming builds. And I will reserve my final judgments for at least until we have the stable build. But as of now, I am happy with the new Liquid Glass design and eager to see how Apple evolves it over time.
