Apple has unveiled the new iOS 26 operating system, with Liquid Glass as one of its key features. On June 9, WWDC 25, the annual developer conference held in Cupertino, took place. It showcases all the latest news and updates from the bitten apple giant. The updated design elements offer new experiences in apps like Camera, Photos, Safari, FaceTime, Apple Music, Apple News, and Apple Podcasts.
Liquid Glass, a design language that will be applied not only to the iPhone
Among the new features is that the iPhone will be moving from iOS 18, the current operating system update, to iOS 26, referring to the year in which Apple’s new devices will be released. The new update will introduce the technology known as Liquid Glass, a design language that will be applied not only to the iPhone but also to macOS, tvOS, watchOS 26, and iPadOS 26.
The Apple ecosystem is getting a top-to-bottom update. One of the main features users will see modified is the Photos app. The gallery suffered a number of issues with the latest operating system update, serving as a target for user criticism. Apple customers expressed their deep displeasure with the latest update, which completely changed the layout and accessibility of one of the iPhone’s most used apps.
Liquid Glass uses real-time rendering and dynamically reacts to motion with spectacular sparkles
“The innovative Liquid Glass material is translucent and behaves like glass in the real world. The color varies based on the surrounding content and intelligently adapts in light and dark mode. Thanks to a close collaboration between the engineering and design teams, Liquid Glass uses real-time rendering and dynamically reacts to motion with spectacular sparkles,” reads Apple’s official statement.
The new features will be seen starting this fall
Photos will integrate the ability to add spatial depth to photos using artificial intelligence. This way, any conventionally taken photo can be spatially enhanced without the need for Vision Pro. The new features will be seen starting this fall. As for collections, users will have the option to adjust visibility, making them all small or large, or selecting specific ones and adjusting them with a couple of taps. Additionally, Liquid Glass temporarily collapses certain sections to make navigation easier.
“This is our most extensive software design update to date”
On Apple’s official website, Alan Dye, vice president of user interface design for the communications giant, said: “At Apple, we’ve always believed in the deep integration of hardware and software that makes interacting with technology intuitive, beautiful, and rewarding.” The vice president elaborated on the new update. “This is our most extensive software design update to date. Meticulously developed through deep thinking about the core elements that make up our software, the new design is based on an entirely new material called Liquid Glass. It combines the optical qualities of glass with a fluidity that only Apple can achieve, transforming it based on content or context. It lays the groundwork for new experiences in the future and, ultimately, makes even the simplest interactions more fun and magical,” Dye explained.
This is an innovation that users will be able to enjoy throughout the Apple ecosystem. We just have to wait for user reactions, which will surely be heard especially on social media.
