Reflection
Liquid Glass in iOS 26
Liquid Glass in iOS 26
Liquid Glass in iOS 26
A Launchpad, Not the Final Form
A Launchpad, Not the Final Form
Apple’s new Liquid Glass design debuted in the iOS 26 developer beta. This isn't just a Control Center redesign — it's a system-wide visual update spanning iOS, iPadOS, macOS, VisionOS, tvOS, and watchOS.
Apple’s new Liquid Glass design debuted in the iOS 26 developer beta. This isn't just a Control Center redesign — it's a system-wide visual update spanning iOS, iPadOS, macOS, VisionOS, tvOS, and watchOS.
🧩 Valid design concerns raised
Low contrast and visual clutter, especially noticeable in Control Center and notifications.
Accessibility challenges around legibility, color contrast, and cognitive load.
Potential issues for visually impaired users, especially in bright environments.
⚡ Emerging battery and performance questions
Real-time rendering of layered glass and blur effects may stress the GPU.
Early developer beta testers have reported increased battery drain.
Apple is introducing Adaptive Power Mode to help mitigate potential power consumption issues.
🚀 Important context often overlooked
This is an initial launch — not a final product direction.
Apple has a track record of refining major UI shifts post-launch, similar to how Windows 7's Aero interface evolved after its debut.
Shipping version 1 often involves compromises that get revisited after user feedback and real-world usage data.
🎯 Broader user reality
Most iPhone users aren’t evaluating this through a UX designer’s lens.
Some users simply enjoy visual freshness, motion, and aesthetic novelty — even if it comes with trade-offs.
Similar to Android customization culture: personal expression sometimes outweighs strict adherence to usability guidelines.
Not every questionable design decision is solely the designer’s fault — complex trade-offs behind the scenes influence outcomes.
🗣 The value of early criticism
Despite the valid frustrations, it’s actually good that designers are speaking up early.
Public concerns raised now may influence Apple’s refinement process, pushing toward a more user-friendly, accessible, and stable system.
Early designer feedback helps spotlight issues that real-world testing sometimes misses in controlled development environments.
👀 A gentle reminder to designers (myself included)
As designers, it’s easy to critique early versions harshly — sometimes too harshly.
We advocate for users, but we also have to acknowledge that shipping large-scale design updates inside huge organizations involves compromises most of us never see.
Advocacy should include both usability critique and product maturity patience.
Jumping quickly to “this is bad UX” risks missing the nuance of evolving products and market realities.
🔑 My take
Liquid Glass is likely version one of a multi-year design system update.
The valid concerns deserve attention, especially on accessibility and usability.
Apple will likely refine this further based on real-world data, user feedback, and technical optimizations.
Battery strain may even encourage Apple to offer toggles or customization options down the line.
Not every design shift has to be perfect at launch — what matters is iteration.
🧩 Valid design concerns raised
Low contrast and visual clutter, especially noticeable in Control Center and notifications.
Accessibility challenges around legibility, color contrast, and cognitive load.
Potential issues for visually impaired users, especially in bright environments.
⚡ Emerging battery and performance questions
Real-time rendering of layered glass and blur effects may stress the GPU.
Early developer beta testers have reported increased battery drain.
Apple is introducing Adaptive Power Mode to help mitigate potential power consumption issues.
🚀 Important context often overlooked
This is an initial launch — not a final product direction.
Apple has a track record of refining major UI shifts post-launch, similar to how Windows 7's Aero interface evolved after its debut.
Shipping version 1 often involves compromises that get revisited after user feedback and real-world usage data.
🎯 Broader user reality
Most iPhone users aren’t evaluating this through a UX designer’s lens.
Some users simply enjoy visual freshness, motion, and aesthetic novelty — even if it comes with trade-offs.
Similar to Android customization culture: personal expression sometimes outweighs strict adherence to usability guidelines.
Not every questionable design decision is solely the designer’s fault — complex trade-offs behind the scenes influence outcomes.
🗣 The value of early criticism
Despite the valid frustrations, it’s actually good that designers are speaking up early.
Public concerns raised now may influence Apple’s refinement process, pushing toward a more user-friendly, accessible, and stable system.
Early designer feedback helps spotlight issues that real-world testing sometimes misses in controlled development environments.
👀 A gentle reminder to designers (myself included)
As designers, it’s easy to critique early versions harshly — sometimes too harshly.
We advocate for users, but we also have to acknowledge that shipping large-scale design updates inside huge organizations involves compromises most of us never see.
Advocacy should include both usability critique and product maturity patience.
Jumping quickly to “this is bad UX” risks missing the nuance of evolving products and market realities.
🔑 My take
Liquid Glass is likely version one of a multi-year design system update.
The valid concerns deserve attention, especially on accessibility and usability.
Apple will likely refine this further based on real-world data, user feedback, and technical optimizations.
Battery strain may even encourage Apple to offer toggles or customization options down the line.
Not every design shift has to be perfect at launch — what matters is iteration.
Got thoughts? I’m all ears.
I’m always up for thoughtful conversations.
I’m always up for thoughtful conversations.