The tech world is buzzing about Apple's controversial "Liquid Glass" design in iOS 26. What Apple proudly touts as their "broadest software design update ever" and a "delightful and elegant new software design" has quickly become one of their most divisive UI changes in recent memory.
We've analyzed both Apple's official messaging and the raw, unfiltered user feedback from across the internet to give you the complete picture. The contrast is striking—while Apple's design team envisions a magical, cohesive experience connecting iOS with VisionOS through translucent materials that "reflect surroundings" and "change shape to focus on content," actual users tell a different story. Comments like "every single green hurt my eyes" and comparisons to a "kindergarten look" reveal serious concerns about readability, eye strain, and accessibility.
The controversy brings to light a fundamental tension in technology design: the pursuit of visual innovation versus fundamental usability. Many users express frustration that while Apple poured resources into this polarizing aesthetic, basic functionality issues with keyboards, autocorrect, and long-requested features remain unaddressed. Some beta testers even report performance impacts, with devices running warmer and less responsively under the new interface.
Looking beyond the controversial design, iOS 26 does deliver several practical improvements worth noting: live translation in calls and texts, call screening capabilities, an improved Photos app, and enhanced Apple Music features. These functional updates demonstrate Apple's continued innovation, even as the design language sparks debate.
What do you think about Apple's new direction? Has the company prioritized form over function, or is this simply a bold new vision that users need time to adapt to? Share your thoughts and experiences with the new design—we'd love to hear if it's enhancing or hindering your Apple experience!
Leave your thoughts in the comments and subscribe for more tech updates and reviews.
Episode Transcript
Welcome.
Today we're doing a deep diveinto Apple's big new software
release, ios 26, andspecifically that
much-talked-about liquid glassdesign.
Our mission really is to lookat what Apple's promising you
but, maybe more importantly,what people are actually finding
, what they're saying out there.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Yeah, we've looked at quite a range.
You know the official Applestuff, their press releases
explaining the vision, but thenalso the raw feedback, forum,
chats, tech reviews.
It gives a pretty interestingpicture of how it's landing a
controversial one even.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Okay, so let's get into it.
Apple's official line they'recalling Liquid Glass a
delightful and elegant newsoftware design.
That's the quote.
And it's not just iOS 26, it'siPadOS 26, macos Tahoe 26 too,
all platforms.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Right.
They pitch it as thistranslucent material reflects
surroundings, changes shape tofocus on content and they
directly link it to VisionOS.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Yeah, alan Dye, apple's design VP.
He actually called it theirbroadest software design update
ever.
Big words, the goal Makinginteractions fun and magical.
You're meant to see iteverywhere Icons, widgets, the
lock screen.
There's even a new all clearmode and these dynamic elements
adapting to whatever you'relooking at.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Fun and magical.
That's where the story kind ofsplits, because the user
feedback almost immediatelypainted a well, a very different
picture.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
How so.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Well, just looking through forums you see people
calling it a lame idea.
Some went further.
Hideous Comparisons to akindergarten look came up too.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
It's definitely sparked a, let's say, engaged
discussion online, verycontroversial.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Okay, and this is where it gets really interesting
, right?
The friction point seems to bearound practicality, readability
, eye strain.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Exactly.
We saw comments like everysingle green hurt my eyes.
That's pretty direct.
Others saying icon borders hurtto look at and notifications
because of all that transparencyapparently can be hard to read.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
So much for delightful Sounds like.
For some people it's justpainful.
There seems to be this strongfeeling that it actually needs
more contrast, not less.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Especially, yeah, for users maybe with older eyes and
some frustration thataccessibility options are seen
as hiding the problem, notfixing the core design.
Like it's a joke, they hidethis stuff away.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Which brings up that age-old question Aesthetics
versus usability.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Pure looks versus well.
Does it work well?
Speaker 2 (02:22):
And that frustration seems amplified because, while
Apple poured resources into this, look users are pointing out
fundamental things like thekeyboard still quote sucks or
autocorrect has gotten way worsebasic stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Or things people have wanted for ages, like separate
volume controls for differentapps or playing two audio things
at once still not there.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
And then there are the performance questions.
Some beta testers reportedphones getting noticeably warmer
and a feeling that iOS is maybegetting slower, less responsive
, because this new UI is justmore memory intensive.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
So it feels like a classic form over function
debate playing out, with usersfeeling a bit trapped.
You know that sense of hate,the fact that we will have to
adopt the design without havinga choice.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Definitely that sentiment.
Though you could argue, radicalchanges always take getting
used to, maybe people adapt.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Perhaps, but the comparisons people are making
are telling some actually preferthe old Windows Vista arrow.
Look for readability over this.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah, or Google's Material 3 expressive.
It suggests, for some at least,Apple might be heading well
further down the wrong path.
Yeah, A shift away from justmaking the best product in a
functional sense.
That's the concern being voiced.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Okay, so the design is clearly polarizing, but iOS
26 isn't only liquid glass,right, there are other updates
in there.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Oh, absolutely, and some are pretty significant
things people have genuinelyasked for.
We should touch on those.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Good point Like what.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Well live translation in calls in texts.
That's actually huge forcommunication.
Real-time language help builtright in Okay, that does sound
useful.
And in the phone app, thingslike call screening and hold
assist Less flashy maybe, butpractical for managing calls,
dealing with spam, making thephone feel a bit smarter.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Yeah, quality of life stuff.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Exactly.
Plus.
The Photos app got a redesignaiming for better viewing.
Apple Music gets lyricstranslation, an auto-mix DJ
feature.
Even CarPlay gets new widgets,live activities, so there is
functional improvement there,even if the UI is stealing the
headlines.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
So, wrapping this up, what's the big takeaway here
for you as someone using aniPhone or just watching the tech
world?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
I think it really highlights this constant tension
, doesn't it?
The push for something new,visually striking, maybe driven
by things like VisionOS, versusthe fundamental need for
interfaces to be intuitive,accessible and just plain
functional for everyone.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Yeah, it's a balancing act.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
And this liquid glass situation really throws that
into sharp relief.
It poses a key question aboutdesign philosophy moving forward
.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Which leaves us with a final thought.
Maybe when a tech giant unveilssomething delightful and
elegant, does it always makethings better for the user, or
can that pursuit of elegancesometimes create a whole new set
of problems you never even knewyou could have?
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