Apple's Liquid Glass truly transformed my iPhone. Everything feels so much more polished and radiant.

 Having spent an afternoon examining and contemplating Apple’s Liquid Glass design language on my iPhone, I'm not entirely opposed to it. However, it seems like it could benefit from a bit more refinement.

Apple unveiled Liquid Glass during WWDC 2025, and it’s set to feature across all its devices. The most striking aspect of this update is the revamped app icons, tab bars, and even the text magnifier that appears when you hover over words—everything has a unique, liquid-glass effect.

The concept is intriguingly simple: by layering this “glass” over elements like your lockscreen wallpaper or text, it achieves a translucent look that allows a glimpse of what lies beneath. It’s a fitting approach, and the first rollout seen in the iOS 26 developer beta is filled with Apple's iconic design details.

However, the initial experience can be quite a shock.

To illustrate the transformation, take a look at the images below. On the left is my iOS 18 lockscreen that I shared with David Pierce for the Installer newsletter just last month, and on the right is my current lockscreen on the iPhone 16 Pro, showcasing the new iOS 26 developer beta (now available)

Even with my purposely grayscale homescreen, I hope you can notice that the differences stand out right away. Everything has a clear and glossy finish.

Here’s my homescreen with the colors reintroduced if you prefer a different perspective. While many icons will look familiar, they all have a more vibrant and playful quality.

Here’s the Control Center, which honestly looks a bit chaotic at the moment. The transparent Liquid Glass design contributes to the cluttered appearance, even with my gray homescreen. I really hope Apple can make the elements in the Control Center a bit more opaque, as it would definitely help with readability at a quick glance.