Apple's latest iOS 26 announcement at WWDC has sparked intense debate among users, primarily due to its radical new Liquid Glass design language and the introduction of several features that Android users have enjoyed for years. The update represents one of the most significant visual overhauls in recent iOS history, though reception has been decidedly mixed.
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| This image reflects the new Liquid Glass design language introduced in iOS 26, showcasing the visual changes that have become a point of contention among Apple users |
Revolutionary Liquid Glass Design Divides Users
The centerpiece of iOS 26 is Apple's new Liquid Glass design language, which introduces flowing, translucent visual effects throughout the interface. When users enable transparent mode, virtually all home screen elements, including the bottom dock, become transparent with a liquid-like quality that responds to user interactions. While Apple touts this as innovative, critics point out that similar glass-themed interfaces appeared on Android devices years ago.
The design has generated significant controversy, particularly on Chinese social media platforms where iOS 26 ugly quickly became a trending topic. Users report readability issues with text in certain scenarios, and the Control Center appears cluttered due to reduced background blur. Long-time Apple user Jon Yongfook described it as the worst user interface he's encountered in 20 years of using Apple devices.
Android Features Finally Arrive on iOS
Beyond the visual changes, iOS 26 introduces several features that Android users have long enjoyed. Call screening and hold assist functionality, which debuted on Google Pixel phones in 2020, now comes to iPhone. The system can automatically answer and screen potential spam calls, while hold assist alerts users when a human representative becomes available during customer service calls.
Live language translation during phone calls, similar to Samsung's existing implementation, allows real-time spoken translations between different languages. The feature extends to messaging applications and can adjust writing styles to match the appropriate tone for different contexts.
AI-Powered Contextual Features
Apple has also introduced screenshot-based contextual actions that mirror Google's Circle to Search functionality. When users take screenshots on devices with Apple Intelligence, the system suggests relevant actions such as creating calendar events from visible dates and times, or searching for highlighted items. This approach cleverly integrates the feature into existing user workflows, potentially making it more discoverable than Google's gesture-based implementation.
Camera App Simplification
The camera interface receives a significant streamlining, defaulting to just photo and video modes while hiding other options until users scroll horizontally. This simplified approach echoes the toggle design found in Google Pixel camera apps, prioritizing the most commonly used functions while maintaining access to specialized modes.
User Concerns and Solutions
Recognizing the polarizing nature of the new design, Apple has included accessibility options to address user concerns. Within Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size, users can enable Reduce Transparency to decrease background transparency while maintaining the glass aesthetic. This compromise aims to preserve the visual design while improving readability and usability.
The current iOS 26 beta represents an early testing phase, with Apple likely to refine the interface based on user feedback. The first public beta is expected within a month, with the official release scheduled for September 2025. As with previous major iOS redesigns, including the transition from skeuomorphic to flat design in iOS 7, user adaptation typically occurs over time as the interface matures and improves.