Liquid Glass... Liquid 2009

[Dust-by-Monday]

It seems to be an improvement on iOS and iPadOS but a downgrade on the Mac. I hope things will get better with subsequent betas. As a reminder, there's still 3 entire months for Apple to make refinements.

Yeah the tool bars on Mac seem overly huge with gigantic drop shadows on them. I wish they were a little more subtle.

 

[Dust-by-Monday]

I thought I am the only one who thinks this. Takes away the „premium“ look of IOS imo

I kinda agree a bit. It looks more like a third party icon theme rather than Apple polish. However, I think using it in person will be the real test because then you'll see the subtle light refractions, and animations that will make it not look like a theme, but more like the real world in your hand.

 

[Cobold]

I thought they were moving away from skeuomorphism.

Ehm, hello? They did so for TWELVE YEARS!
Now, they‘re starting something different.

And - like with iOS7 back in the days, we‘re getting all the „booohohohooo, it’s so ugly“-folks, that - never the less - still continue using Apple devices. Nothing new. Proceed.

 

[Yr Blues]

At least we can turn it off with dark mode or whatever. I can't read through that noise.

 

[winxmac]

Windows XP from 2001 introduced colorful non-glass 3D
Windows Vista from 2006 introduced Windows Aero and Windows 7 from 2009 further refined Windows Aero
Windows 8.x from 2012-2013 dropped the glass transparency for translucency

iOS 6 from 2012 was the last version that used skeuomorphism
iOS 7 from 2013 introduced flat design while OS X Mavericks from 2013 is still using skeuomorphism
OS X Yosemite from 2014 adopted the flat design then OS X El Capitan from 2015 fully embraced the flat design

In 2025, Apple introduced Liquid Glass to all of its operating systems [iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS] as inspired by visionOS

 

[FNH15]

Windows XP from 2001 introduced colorful non-glass 3D
Windows Vista from 2006 introduced Windows Aero and Windows 7 from 2009 further refined Windows Aero
Windows 8.x from 2012-2013 dropped the glass transparency for translucency

iOS 6 from 2012 was the last version that used skeuomorphism
iOS 7 from 2013 introduced flat design while OS X Mavericks from 2013 is still using skeuomorphism
OS X Yosemite from 2014 adopted the flat design then OS X El Capitan from 2015 fully embraced the flat design

In 2025, Apple introduced Liquid Glass to all of its operating systems [iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS] as inspired by visionOS

You're forgetting Aqua in 2000-2001. Which unlike XP had depth and polish to it. Compare 10.0 to 10.4 and you'll see where the evolution is.
I for one really missed the whimsy of Mac OS X back in the day. It was fun to use. Hopefully Liquid Glass helps bring that back while balancing usability.

 

[winxmac]

You're forgetting Aqua in 2000-2001. Which unlike XP had depth and polish to it. Compare 10.0 to 10.4 and you'll see where the evolution is.
I for one really missed the whimsy of Mac OS X back in the day. It was fun to use. Hopefully Liquid Glass helps bring that back while balancing usability.

I did mention them because
(1) I don't have first hand experience even though I can search for the photos on the internet
(2) I only started using macOS from 2020/2021 although I was able to experience Yosemite and newer because I have a bootable flash drive with multiple macOS versions on it
(3) I am a long time Windows user but it does not fully justify it since I can search for photos of early Mac OS X and OS X on the internet

But I guess, we are on the same boat about 3D icons and skeuomorphism.

 

[FNH15]

I did mention them because
(1) I don't have first hand experience even though I can search for the photos on the internet
(2) I only started using macOS from 2020/2021 although I was able to experience Yosemite and newer because I have a bootable flash drive with multiple macOS versions on it
(3) I am a long time Windows user but it does not fully justify it since I can search for photos of early Mac OS X and OS X on the internet

But I guess, we are on the same boat about 3D icons and skeuomorphism.

Ah. Well there you go! The first few versions of OS X had some glaring usability issues - but these were ironed out along the way. As someone who ran the iOS 7 betas, well, things got a lot better.
I really should try Tahoe...

 

[winxmac]

Ah. Well there you go! The first few versions of OS X had some glaring usability issues - but these were ironed out along the way. As someone who ran the iOS 7 betas, well, things got a lot better.
I really should try Tahoe...

Forgot to mention that I also beta tested since iOS 10 but purchased iPhone 4 and 4s when they were no longer sold by Apple just to experience iOS 6 to iOS 9. May iOS 5 experience was on the 2010 iPad, a.k.a. the 1st gen base model iPad.

I am happy keeping my pre-owned 15" MacBook Pro 2015 on Catalina even though it can support Monterey officially and Sequioa unofficially via OCLP.

 

[HouseLannister]

My wife said the rainbow glass-on-glass slideover effect reminds her of a migraine aura. She was so disturbed by it that she instantly started reading reviews to see if she should get a Galaxy S25 or Pixel 9 Pro. I told her she has a few months before its final, but she was excited to go demo some phones and has not used an Android phone since the Motorola Droid 2.

 

[flybub]

My wife said the rainbow glass-on-glass slideover effect reminds her of a migraine aura. She was so disturbed by it that she instantly started reading reviews to see if she should get a Galaxy S25 or Pixel 9 Pro. I told her she has a few months before its final, but she was excited to go demo some phones and has not used an Android phone since the Motorola Droid 2.

It really does look like a theme I ran on my Samsung Galaxy S6 a decade ago. I do plan on jumping back to a Pixel, this OS update is beyond gross.

 

[peppolone]

Ah, the sweet return to 2009 — thanks to Windows Aero.

 

[Dust-by-Monday]

the more I see iOS 26 screenshots, the more it looks so un-Apple to me. I know they're going for sleek, futuristic design, but it looks somehow old and dated?

 

[currocj]

I wish clear looked more glassy. Like layered glassy. And dark notifications don’t look as glassy as I’d like

I have a fever … and the only prescription is more glassy