At the WWDC 2025 event, Apple has recently introduced Liquid Glass as its fresh design philosophy for upcoming Apple platforms. This revamp will debut later in 2025 on iOS 16, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26. Developers can get a sneak peek at this new aesthetic vision from Apple with the first beta version available right now, leaving me genuinely astonished.
Let’s be clear: Apple isn’t unfamiliar with adopting ideas and features from other platforms. In the same breath, Apple took Call Screening and Direct My Call directly from Google Pixel and put them on the iPhone. And just last year, they introduced a feature similar to Windows Snap on macOS.
I frequently notice that Apple’s copies tend to come late and usually fall short compared to the competition. However, Liquid Glass seems to be a poor imitation of a design that is superior in every way, and it appears this design was developed years ago by Microsoft. They introduced Aero Glass in 2006, which debuted with Windows Vista that same year.
Although Windows Vista received generally negative feedback overall, there was consensus about its aesthetic appeal. It marked the debut of translucent glass effects across the entire desktop layout, encompassing elements like the Taskbar, Start Menu, and app window titles. For that period, these design elements were remarkably modern, almost to the point where many computers struggled to run it smoothly.
The design aesthetic from this language continued with Windows 7, enhancing it further through the use of more transparent windows, glowing and blurred effects overall. This combination created a harmonious mix of traditional and modern Windows layouts, as even the older interfaces appeared quite compatible with Aero Glass.
I fondly appreciated Aero Glass and felt a pang when it vanished upon the arrival of Windows 8 in 2012, marking a decade of flat design aesthetic that subsequently influenced Apple’s iOS 7 in 2013. Likewise, iOS 7 was met with criticism from users, and it appears Liquid Glass is receiving similar feedback.
It seems that one of the main issues with Liquid Glass so far is its contrast, or rather, the insufficient contrast. Several parts of the OS that are designed with a blurred, glassy aesthetic don’t stand out clearly enough, which makes text difficult to read when it’s placed in front of other interfaces that lie behind it.
Aero Glass addressed this issue by intensifying the hazy, glass-like filters sufficiently to make objects lying beyond them hardly discernible. This feature guaranteed that the text at the uppermost layer of the user interface remained legible at all times, thus promoting ease of use and accessibility for a wide range of users.
It appears Apple may have overlooked some design guidelines, as there are instances where the glass effects seem excessively transparent. For example, the new control center is almost indistinguishable from a semi-transparent sheet of glass, making it possible to read large text directly through it. This design choice could potentially lead to discomfort for many users.
Liquid Glass offers unique user interface designs that Aero Glass didn’t, thanks to the significant increase in computer and phone power since 2007. These glass-like materials mimic real-life properties, refracting light at the edges just as real curved glass does.
From a theoretical standpoint, it seems quite intriguing. But in practical application, it appears rather dismal, adding excessive noise to interfaces that are better off without it. Instead of giving a realistic glass appearance, it transforms everything into a virtual bubble-like state.
In my opinion, the primary issue with Apple’s latest design aesthetic lies in its overemphasis on realism, which is not ideal for software design. Microsoft achieved a harmonious blend of realism and digital design with Aero Glass, largely due to the capabilities of PC hardware at that time.
Currently, Apple has the freedom to make these interfaces as lifelike as possible, but it seems that this isn’t translating effectively into software. In my opinion, if Apple wants users to appreciate Liquid Glass, they should consider toning it down quite a bit. On the surface, it appears to be an excellent concept, but in reality, it requires careful adjustments.
I’m particularly fond of how Windows Vista and Windows 7 struck a great harmony with visual effects such as glow and light. These effects were not ubiquitous but could be found in specific areas, such as window controls and taskbar icons, serving to indicate that you were hovering or highlighting interactive elements.
Certain parts of the system feature simulated lighting effects, such as the Taskbar that seems to be illuminated from above, giving a blue glow beneath app icons when hovered over. This effect, pre-set and not dynamically generated, remains visually appealing even now.
In essence, it seems that Liquid Glass is Apple attempting to surpass Aero Glass, but perhaps not quite succeeding smoothly during the development process. Keep in mind, this is just the first developer beta, and I’m confident that Apple will refine this design aesthetic as testing continues. Reminiscent of iOS 7 in 2013, Apple will certainly address the most significant criticisms of Liquid Glass.
They’ll just do so quietly and never admit they were wrong, because that’s Apple for you.
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2025-06-10 16:09