"Steve Jobs would've fired everyone": iOS 26 Liquid Glass UI comes under fire for poor readability

[Redaktion]

Apple proudly showcased the new "Liquid Glass" UI design at the WWDC25. Coming to iOS 26, macOS 26, and iPadOS 26, the new design brings the properties of real glass, like refraction and translucency, to UI elements. However, this has prompted widespread criticism from users.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Steve-Jobs-would-ve-fired-everyone-iOS-26-Liquid-Glass-UI-comes-under-fire-for-poor-readability.1033787.0.html

[Abdul Hanan]

Tim did not Cook.

[Worgarthe]

We already used to have a perfectly readable and legible frutiger aero aesthetics though. Then it all went to ultraminimalistic everything, and now they can't properly go back and recreate frutiger aero, lol. Funny stuff.

[opckieran]

It looks terrible...

[RobertJasiek]

"some of the best animation work in the industry"

I have only one question: Can the animations be deactivated?

Otherwise, it is not one of the best but is one of the worst.

[Worgarthe]

I have only one question: Can the animations be deactivated?

This is iOS, where users don't really have much choice beyond what the Apple overlords deem best for them, so the answer is no. There is Settings > Accessibility > Reduce Motion though, it will just reduce animations across the whole UI and in fact make them even more annoying. Apple at their finest 🙃

[Joe]

Have Apple fixed mouse, that you can not use while charging? For Apple and their users, it is not about functionality or readability, but about looks. Transparency looks good, so users will buy it.

[Terror Byte]

Apple is more of a turnip these days. Henceforth, I will refer to all their products as turnips. And the new OS as TrashOS26

[John81918/123]

The subject line says it all.

[David Juliano]

Terrible, absolutely terrible. There is NO separation of context, the browser address bar becomes mangled with the text below it and you can't see clearly what you're typing. The focused surface reflects without blurring items around it (like a glass indeed).

And don't get me started on the sudden flashes of light you get just by pressing on a scrollable list. Flashes. Of light. Really that distracting and annoying!

Whoever though that glass provides for good legibility and usability needs to be fired. Steve Jobs, Johnny Ive. So much missed.