Apple's Craig Federighi shares why iOS 26 adopted Liquid Glass for iPhone
Apple executive Craig Federighi sat down for an interview after the event, and one of the things he talked about was the inspiration behind the new look for iOS 26 . What exactly prompted Apple to use glass as the basis for iOS, and did this inspiration start before or after visionOS? Craig talked about how the use of glass-like surfaces in visionOS for the Apple Vision Pro served two purposes. For starters, it looked stunning, and was easily one of, if not the most refined user interface on an MR ( Mixed Reality ) headset.
But another major reason for the design of visionOS was that the glass surfaces gave users the illusion that the virtual elements weren't taking up too much space in their surroundings. This design philosophy carries over to iOS 26 , where Federighi believes that the glass surfaces provide a more open experience. Apple has boasted about the various operating system upgrades across its portfolio that use Liquid Glass to let more context through. The idea is that the user can always see what their UI is being presented over, and that the content on the screen always remains in focus.
Apple showed off Liquid Glass for iOS 26 and other operating systems at WWDC. | Video credit — Apple Craig also talked about how Apple had begun experimenting with translucent surfaces all the way back in 2013 with iOS 7, which was the company's last major redesign. Glass sort of became something that Apple knew it would one day incorporate more of in iOS. So the company pulled all the stops, crafted a meticulously detailed new look, and brought it to every OS it had.
Liquid Glass has seen mixed reception since users have installed the iOS 26 beta. It looks stunning when it works right, but a lot of the time the UI becomes illegible. Furthermore, the processing required for all of the effects that Liquid Glass simulates has led to a laggy experience overall.
Apple should be able to fix these issues before the public release of iOS 26 this fall, though that might require some sacrifices for the eye candy that the company has designed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Phone Arena
11 hours ago
- Phone Arena
Google Pixel 10 series price leak has little surprises
Render of the Pixel 10 Pro XL | Image Credit — Android Headlines Pixel 10 Pixel 10 Pro Pixel 10 Pixel 10 128GB: €899 256GB: €999 Pixel 10 Pro 128GB: €1,099 256GB: €1,199 512GB: €1,329 1TB: €1,589 Pixel 10 Pro XL 256GB: €1,299 512GB: €1,429 1TB: €1,689 Pixel 10 Pro Fold 256GB: €1,899 512GB: €2,029 1TB: €2,289 Receive the latest mobile news By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy Are the Pixel 10 models getting more expensive in the US? Pixel 10 Pixel 10 Pro Pixel 10 Pro Fold Would you buy a Pixel 10 model if it's more expensive? Yes, I would pay extra for a Pixel Only if it has great new features No Yes, I would pay extra for a Pixel 0% Only if it has great new features 0% No 0% Pixel 10 Pixel 10 Unlike the smartphones, the Pixel Buds 2a might see a price hike compared to their predecessor. The new earphones are claimed to start at €149 (about $174 when directly converted), which is a major increase from the €99 starting price of the Pixel Buds Google appears to keep the European prices of thesmartphones unchanged from last year, the situation in the United States might be different. A few months ago, there were reports that theXL might see a price hike in the US, while themay become thing to consider is the wild and unpredictable situation with the US import tariffs. Google doesn't manufacture its phones in the US, so every device imported from Vietnam, China, or India might be subject to tariffs. That could lead to a price hike, unless Google decides to eat the my opinion, Google will do its best to keep the US prices of theas low as possible. After last year's increase, a Pixel 9 costs as much as an iPhone 16 or a Galaxy S25 . If Google is forced to raise the price of the, people would need to choose an alternative to the most popular phones and pay more for the pleasure. That would make the already complicated choice of a Pixel phone even more difficult.
GSM Arena
12 hours ago
- GSM Arena
iPhone 17 colorways leak too
Yesterday the upcoming iPhone 17 Air's colorways leaked, and today it's time for the 'vanilla' iPhone 17 to get the same treatment. And while it will be offered in more colors than its thinner cousin, unfortunately this leak doesn't come with full-on renders depicting each hue. We do however have what seem to be replacement camera rings for it, which showcase the five colors in which the iPhone 17 will allegedly arrive: blue, silver, black, green, and purple. The transparent ring isn't meant for a transparent iPhone 17, that's not happening, it's just another option for those who'd like the transparent look on their device. While these are said to be the iPhone 17's launch colors, it's possible that Apple may release an additional one or two down the line. For comparison, note that the iPhone 16 comes in black, white, pink, teal, and "Ultramarine". So it's still five colorways, just different ones (aside from black). The iPhone 17 will be by far the lowest-end of the four models launching in September, with the A19 non-Pro chip, and possibly stuck at 8GB of RAM like its predecessor despite all three other models coming with the A19 Pro and 12GB of RAM. It will however have one more camera compared to the iPhone 17 Air, and a bigger battery. Apple iPhone 16 Source (in Korean)
Phone Arena
13 hours ago
- Phone Arena
T-Mobile's acquisition of UScellular assets is now one step closer to taking place
It's one down, one to go for T-Mobile 's acquisition of UScellular assets. Requiring approval from both the FCC and the Justice Department, today the latter has given the deal its blessing. The DOJ said that it will not seek an injunction to block the transaction. Back in May 2024, T-Mobile agreed to pay $2.4 billion in cash and assume $2 billion of UScellular debt to acquire wireless customers, retail stores, and 30% of the spectrum assets owned by the nation's fifth-largest wireless carrier. That spectrum includes airwaves in the 600 MHz, 700 MHz A Block, PCS, AWS, 2.5 GHz, and 24 GHz (mmWave) frequencies. T-Mobile is a step closer to acquiring UScellular assets after obtaining DOJ approval for the deal. | Image credit-UScellular That haul includes key frequencies used by T-Mobile, such as the 2.5 GHz mid-band airwaves employed for its Ultra Capacity 5G service, the 600 MHz low-band spectrum used for the carrier's Extended Range 5G service, and the 24 GHz high-band spectrum used for its rarely found mmWave service. Heck, T-Mobile might have entered into this deal specifically to pick up these airwaves. Remember, the carrier paid $26 billion to buy Sprint just for its rival's hoard of 2.5GHz mid-band spectrum, which has helped T-Mobile become the 5G leader in the U.S. Even though the DOJ is letting the transaction go through, it did express some concern about competition in wireless and whether there is enough spectrum available to generate competition. The Justice Department also said in its press release that during the investigation, it considered what U.S. wireless customers would have to deal with if UScellular left the market, what benefits consumers might get from allowing the deal to close, and what the result might be from further consolidation in spectrum holdings. The DOJ also investigated what might happen to UScellular subscribers if the carrier survived as an ongoing firm. The Justice Department determined that, should the DOJ block the deal, UScellular "could not keep up with the escalating cost of capital investments in technology required to compete vigorously in the relevant market. This would, in turn, lead to the slow degradation of its network quality." The DOJ compared this outcome with comments made by T-Mobile , saying that it will combine the two networks so that UScellular customers will experience faster data speeds after the transaction closes. At the same time, T-Mobile customers will get better service in rural markets. It's a win-win for all. -U.S. Department of Justice The DOJ also noted that this is "a pivotal moment for the wireless industry." After years of consolidation in the wireless industry thanks to acquisitions, the Big 3 account for more than 90 percent of the roughly 335 million mobile subscriptions in the U.S. Whether this is a positive or negative statistic won't be known until sometime in the future. In 2019, when T-Mobile acquired Sprint, the DOJ feared that the merger would allow the remaining big three (AT&T, T-Mobile , and Verizon) to harm consumers through coordination, leading to "higher prices, reduced innovation, reduced quality, and fewer choices." The T-Mobile -Sprint deal also resulted in less competition to sell wireless service wholesale to MVNOs. T-Mobile and Sprint had been battling for this business. With the acquisition, that competition was gone. The Big 3 also controls 80% of the mobile wireless spectrum used in the U.S. The DOJ writes, "It is of concern to the United States that continued spectrum aggregation by the Big 3 threatens to impede the path for a fourth national player to emerge and challenge the entrenched incumbents with new and innovative offerings. Where future spectrum consolidation transactions threaten this path, the Antitrust Division stands ready to investigate and, if warranted by the facts and evidence, use its enforcement power to protect competition and American consumers." With this lukewarm approval, all that is needed is for the FCC to approve the deal, and the transaction will be ready to close. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
