On top of looking pretty, Apple says that it’s also functional. Liquid Glass UI elements will be able to expand and contract with nice-looking animations to adapt to what the app needs it to do. It also works with light and dark modes along with Apple’s new clear mode, which makes all of your icons look like glass.

We talk about the hot new stuff from Apple, including Liquid Glass, iPadOS windowing, Live Translation, and more on this episode of the Macworld Podcast!

Srinivas’s comment comes as speculation grows around Apple’s next big hardware move—AR glasses that could one day replace or work seamlessly with the iPhone.

Who did the glass-like design first? Was it Apple with its Aqua transparency effects in 2000, or Microsoft with its Aero Glass theme in Windows Vista in 2007? Either way, Microsoft seems to think Apple’s Liquid Glass design bears some resemblance to its glass look in Windows Media Center,

However, while Liquid Glass has advocates among early adopters, it has also attracted some harsh critics, who say the new design language creates confusing clashes between layers that affect readability.

It's true that the Liquid Glass redesign is less than revolutionary, but at least with macOS 26, with it, Apple is making users be more productive.

Apple revealed iOS 26 featuring Liquid Glass at WWDC 2025, but the lack of an AI killer feature left analysts questioning its competitive edge.

What I’m getting at is that the main features of watchOS 26 are the design and name. Apple Watch will get the same Liquid Glass design as the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro.