Almost all of Apple’s new software beta is here, and naturally, everyone has a phrase on their lips: liquid glass. If you haven’t tracked Apple’s wholesale redesign, which was introduced at this year’s WWDC, there are some obvious tweaks. Among these tweaks, there is a new design language that can greatly change the appearance of the UI inside iOS 26. It looks like liquid glass, it causes some serious reaction.
As the name suggests, liquid glass makes many elements inside iOS look “glassy”, that is, half-field and bubbles. For example, when the menu lingers on a web page, it still lets some background shine and adaptively rotate, like a piece of glass. Read the description, liquid glass may sound interesting, but while all the betas are still in the developer’s preview, critics laughed at the redesign of the semi-baked and edge-insensitive redesign.
Changes in liquid glass: iOS 26β2 with Beta 3 with Beta 4. pic.twitter.com/6wcfp5aigd
– beta configuration file (@betaprofiles) July 22, 2025
At first, the apple seemed ready to succumb to the comment and put the liquid glass back into the bottle. In subsequent developer updates, it lightens the tones of the glass elements for a more conservative look. bUT can reverse the course if there are any signs in the latest public beta. Now, it looks like Apple hasn’t exited on liquid glass, and I’m here to say, maybe you shouldn’t-just because watching Apple step out of its comfort zone brings interesting and refreshing changes.
One of the main criticisms against Apple’s redesign is its lack of proper accessibility, and based on a developer’s preview, I’m willing to say that criticism is usually valid. It’s not common throughout iOS 26, but in some cases the emphasis on transparent menus does make certain elements harder to see or completely confusing. This is a problem to say the least. Like visionary designs, people still need to use their devices as a means to end up, and if the new look prevents them from doing so, it may not succeed.
Having said that, there may be a middle ground here. Despite the bad accessibility issues, meeting a few people does not necessarily mean that hopes of functional liquid glass are destroyed. The same seems to be true for Apple, in a sense have Think it’s not only because it’s already putting in the effort to redesign the platform, but because it’s time to make changes, and Apple knows that. iOS has not undergone major major repairs since iOS 7, and a lot has changed since 2013.
The appearance of iOS 7 has aging, and Apple is also a company. Like the iPhone, Apple’s image as an innovator or supplier of interface design has not evolved with the company’s development. It’s clear that from Apple’s decision to redesign its platform and its choices to advance AI and XR, all are ready to reclaim that image. If you want to do this, it also needs to look at the section.
And, to be honest, isn’t this more exciting from a fan or consumer perspective? I love liquid glass, warts and everyone just because it means we can watch apples Do something. I’m going to leave room for the liquid glass to fall on my face, but it’s worth it if it eventually means Apple starts to do bold moves again. Liquid glass is likely to be the start of a new Apple that is ready to lead the backpack instead of putting it on its iPhone laurel and launching more of the same Apple.
