Apple has unveiled its new 26 operating system, which will enter beta in July and is expected to be rolled out to all devices this fall. This translucent material reflects and refracts its surroundings, dynamically transforming to bring greater focus to content and deliver a new level of vitality across controls, navigation, app icons, widgets, and more.
Inspired by the depth and dimensionality of visionOS, the new design takes advantage of Apple’s powerful advances in hardware, silicon, and graphics technologies. The new material, Liquid Glass, is translucent and behaves like glass in the real world. The surrounding content informs its color and intelligently adapts to both light and dark environments. Born out of a close collaboration between the design and engineering teams, Liquid Glass uses real-time rendering and dynamically reacts to movement with specular highlights. This creates a lively experience that makes using iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV even more delightful.
Controls, toolbars, and navigation within apps have been redesigned. Previously configured for rectangular displays, they now fit perfectly concentric with the rounded corners of modern hardware and app windows, establishing greater harmony between hardware, software, and content. Controls are crafted out of Liquid Glass and act as a distinct functional layer that sits above apps. They give way to content and dynamically morph as users need more options or move between different parts of an app. And with thoughtful groupings, it’s easier for users to find the controls they need.
These updated design elements are applied across new experiences in apps such as Camera, Photos, Safari, FaceTime, Apple Music, Apple News, and Apple Podcasts. Other apps will be updated with the new feature once the beta drops.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.