Apple Unveils iOS 26 with “Liquid Glass” Aesthetic

Apple kicked off its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a bang, unveiling iOS 26 – the next major update that will power iPhones (11 and newer), iPads, Apple Watches, Macs, Vision Pro, and Apple TV this fall. In a twist, Apple has jumped from iOS 18 straight to 26, syncing version numbers to the year – so no iOS 19 to 25 in sight.

The headline feature? “Liquid Glass,” a shimmering, semi‑translucent UI overhaul inspired by the Vision Pro Headset. It brings glass-like depth to system elements – dock, app icons, tab bars with real-time adaptability to light, motion, and environments to make a modern and futuristic pitch. On stage, we saw lock screens stretch time display, Safari rendering web pages edge‑to‑edge under translucent bars, and Control Center floating in a glassy layer. It’s undeniably slick but early reactions flag that the extra spacing and transparency can harm the ability to read.

Under the hood, Apple doubled down on Apple Intelligence: live translation in Phone, FaceTime, and Messages (all on-device for privacy); voicemail summaries; visual intelligence that analyses screen content; Genmoji, Image Playground, and AI‑powered Shortcuts and integration options. These tools highlight Apple’s strategic pivot toward in‑house AI, privacy-first and tightly integrated across devices.

Other upgrades include revamped Phone UI (call screening, Hold Assist), a new Games app hub, CarPlay dashboard widgets, Mail and Messages enhancements (custom backgrounds, polls, typing indicators, AI summaries), streamlined Camera/Photos redesigns, and a fresh-look watchOS, iPadOS, macOS Tahoe, and tvOS—all coated in, you guessed it – Liquid Glass.

Social media is hardly merciful. Users have been vocal from the beginning about the readability issues around the Liquid Glass design. One X user has shared an image of opacity reduced to 50%, taking a jab at Apple’s new design. Another user shared an image of an iPhone model in bubble‑wrap, remarking sarcastically that they were “excited for iOS 26” Critics dubbed the new transparency a “mess,” even likening it to early Windows Vista and 7 mishaps – accentuating contrast woes under certain lighting. The remodelling of the Camera and Photos app has also not sat right with several users, with a reaction claiming the new icons looking “like a third-party Chinese beauty app”.

While majority of Apple observers still view iOS 26 as ambitious – bringing fresh elegance, well thought-out features and deeper AI – it’s clear that Liquid Glass may need refinement before its full-scale rollout later this year.