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Revision as of 01:44, 17 June 2025

For the alleged Roman invention, see flexible glass. For the chemical compound, see sodium silicate.

Liquid Glass
Developer(s)Apple Inc.
Initial releaseJune 9, 2025; 9 days ago (2025-06-09)
Written inSwift
Operating systemiOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS
Predecessor
TypeDesign language

Liquid Glass is a graphical user interface and design language developed by Apple as a unified visual theme across its suite of operating systems. It was first announced on June 9, 2025, at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Liquid Glass features a more fluid and glass-like interface being introduced in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, tvOS 26, and watchOS 26.[1]

Principles

Apple describes Liquid Glass as a dynamic material that combines the "optical properties of glass with a sense of fluidity".[2] According to Apple's updated Human Interface Guidelines, apps made with Liquid Glass should showcase hierarchy between the content and controls.[3] The aim of the design language was to unify the look and feel of interface elements and devices making them feel consistent across various window sizes and displays.[4][5]

The design features elements that automatically change around their environment by reflecting and refracting light. The digital elements are transparent, which contrasts with the outer highlights of the shape it takes.[6][7] In an interview with TechRadar, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, mentioned that during the process of designing the interface language, Apple designers took advantage of its industrial design studios to fabricate glass of different opacities and lensing properties to closely match the properties of the various interfaces to that of real glass.[7]

Implementation

Liquid Glass is being used to replace older iOS 18 components such as text, sliders, toggles, alerts, panels, sidebars as well as replacing the overall old frosted glass design.[8] Liquid Glass can also be found in the default apps, in the home screen,[9] and other third-party apps. In a blog post detailing the design change, Apple mentioned that the language was influenced by the Aqua design language of macOS, real-time Gaussian blurring in iOS 7, the motion in iPhone X, the Dynamic Island available on the iPhone 14 Pro and later, as well as the glass-like UI of visionOS.[6][7]

Reception

Many users applauded the aesthetics of the operating systems designed using the language[10] and the technical engineering required to recreate the refracting and lensing properties of glass as well as Apple's attention to detail in that regard.[11][12] Users, however, noted that some elements were often too transparent making text placed on top of it hard to read especially in low contrast environments like in the direct glow of sunlight.[10][13] Designers interviewed by Wired felt that the visual effects distracted from the app's content.[11] A designer also raised concerns that developers of apps with smaller teams would have a hard time meeting the high visual standards set by the new interface.[11] The design marked a shift in Apple's design languages with a move away from flat design cues popularized by Jony Ive that had dominated Apple's software design towards more expressive software design that made use of skeumorphic design elements.[11][14] Many critics and social media users also noted that the design language had many design elements that were associated with Windows Aero, including glass-like textures popularized by Windows Vista.[12][15] Craig Federighi confirmed the additional computational power necessary for Liquid Glass and some accuse Apple of planned obsolescence.[16][17][18]

See also

References

  1. ^ Cunningham, Andrew (June 9, 2025). "Apple's macOS 26 Tahoe has new Liquid Glass look, customizable folders, and more". Ars Technica. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  2. ^ "Liquid Glass". Apple Developer Documentation. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  3. ^ "Materials". Apple Developer Documentation. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  4. ^ "Apple's new Liquid Glass design is its biggest visual update in years". Engadget. June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  5. ^ "iOS 26 vs iOS 18: Is Apple's 'Liquid Glass' a true redesign?". AppleInsider. June 10, 2025. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Meet Liquid Glass - WWDC25 - Videos". Apple Developer. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Ulanoff, Lance (June 10, 2025). "For Liquid Glass, "the most obvious inspiration was visionOS", says Apple's Senior VP of Software Engineering". TechRadar. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  8. ^ "Human Interface Guidelines". Apple Developer Documentation. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  9. ^ Peters, Jay (June 10, 2025). "Apple's Liquid Glass was a wild change to my iPhone". The Verge. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  10. ^ a b Perez, Sarah (June 10, 2025). "Love it or hate it? Apple's new 'Liquid Glass' design is getting mixed reviews". TechCrunch. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d Rogers, Reece. "'Beautiful' and 'Hard to Read': Designers React to Apple's Liquid Glass Update". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  12. ^ a b Pierce, David (June 9, 2025). "Apple's Liquid Glass redesign doesn't look like much". The Verge. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  13. ^ Encinas, Amaris. "What is Liquid Glass? Internet reacts to Apple's new software design". USA Today. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  14. ^ Wong, Raymond (June 9, 2025). "Apple Ushers in New Glassy Design With iOS 26 and 'Liquid Glass' Interface". Gizmodo. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  15. ^ "iOS 26 liquid glass: Here's why Windows Vista jokes are trending". Hindustan Times. June 10, 2025. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  16. ^ The Wall Street Journal (June 13, 2025). Apple Execs on AI Setbacks, What Went Wrong with Siri and More (Full Interview) | WSJ. Retrieved June 14, 2025 – via YouTube.
  17. ^ "Adrian Weckler: Should you worry if your iPhone is too old for the latest upgrade?". Irish Independent. June 14, 2025. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
  18. ^ "The Design Strategy Behind Apple's Liquid Glass". Jeff Humble. Retrieved June 15, 2025.

Further reading

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Liquid_Glass&oldid=1295978675"