Latest news with #LiquidGlass
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Apple Enhances iOS 26 'Liquid Glass' UI in Second Developer Beta
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is one of the best US tech stocks to buy now. On June 24, Apple released the second developer beta of iOS 26, which introduces significant improvements to the 'Liquid Glass' user interface and addresses a key complaint regarding the readability of the Control Center. The initial iOS 26 developer beta, announced earlier this month at WWDC 2025, featured a highly translucent design that made the Control Center appear cluttered and difficult to read due to the visibility of underlying Home Screen content. In the second beta, Apple has made the Control Center much more opaque by adjusting the background blur. A wide view of an Apple store, showing the range of products the company offers. The change improves the readability of buttons and sliders within the Control Center by better obscuring the Home Screen content underneath. While this is a visible improvement, some colors may still slightly bleed into the Control Center buttons. Beyond the Control Center, the second beta also includes minor improvements to notification readability, making them sharper. A public beta version of iOS 26 is anticipated to launch next month for users who wish to test the new features before the official release Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) designs, manufactures, and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables, and accessories worldwide. While we acknowledge the potential of AAPL as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the . READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
iOS 26 just got a big design upgrade — thanks to your complaints
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Apple released iOS 26 Beta 2 this week, adding some new features while also apparently fixing complaints about the new Liquid Glass user interface for iPhone, iPad, and other Apple devices. Liquid Glass refreshed the interface across Apple's different operating systems with a new look and feel that gave it more of a transparent look. However, initial impressions were mixed. We found the look amazing but with some flaws such as app tinting and how Control Center looks. "This feature allowed you to change the color of your app icons — at least in theory. In practice, the finished result made it look like you poured sauce all over your apps," my colleague Josh Render said of the customizable feature. Tom's Guide's John Velasco found that the transparency caused issues with the way Control Center appears. Mostly it appears too busy and can make the settings panel unreadable. "I noticed how the transparency of Liquid Glass clashes with the way the Control Center appears on top of certain elements, like the icons on my home screen, or very busy web pages," he wrote. We were able to find workarounds for both issues, but it requires some finagling with the settings and does reduce the transparency. With developer beta 2 for iOS 26, Apple has adjusted the background blur which obscures the home screen more and makes it more readable. Here's an example from X user Aaron Perris, a contributor at Mac Rumors. Notifications appears to have received a similar update to make them more readable, though it doesn't look as dramatic as the Control Center change. To be clear, this likely won't be the final look for iOS 26 this is still a developers beta. A public beta won't launch until later this summer followed by the full release ahead of the iPhone 17 launch in the fall. Still, it is clear that Apple appears to be listening to user feedback and adjusting. Apple is reportedly considering buying Perplexity AI in iPhone maker's biggest-ever acquisition Google Pixel 11 could finally catch up to Samsung and Apple on performance — here's how iOS 26 has a huge battery life upgrade — here's the iPhones that get it
Phone Arena
2 days ago
- Phone Arena
Apple's Liquid Glass looks bad, but everyone will still copy it
You know it, I know it, we all know it. Whenever Apple unveils any new product, it usually gets copied and emulated to oblivion. We've seen it time and time again with the company's phones, tablets, laptops, and watches, but we are most commonly witnessing this in software, where the bar of entry is a bit easier to hop over. Now that Apple has unveiled iOS 26 and macOS 26 with its newest universal design language, called Liquid Glass, I am dreading that we are going to see it copied and emulated in just about any digital interface over the coming years. Why? Well, because it's developed by Apple, and if there's one thing that we can be certain about Apple's rivals is that they all tend to eventually copy anything the company does. Let me preface this by saying that currently we can't really judge Liquid Glass objectively, since it's still in beta and being actively changed with every new developer beta release. Until it is released officially this September, we can't objectively speculate about Apple's new design direction. That said, my personal experience with the betas and the implementation of Liquid Glass on both the iPhone and the Mac has been mostly negative. The heaps of bugs aside, the Liquid Glass aesthetics feel off and out of place on either device I've used it so far. Liquid Glass is an accessibility nightmare At this point, I don't feel that Apple will be able to pull off this visual restyle and convince the wider public that it looks better than what the ecosystem has right now. It's a combination between my dislike for Apple's own implementation of the glass-like design and my shaken confidence that Cupertino is capable of shipping a coherent and complete product. Because that's what Liquid Glass is, you know. Apple's fancy bucket of paint aiming to distract you from the Apple Intelligence fiasco and the Siri assistant in particular. It makes sure we'll be talking about buttons and see-through window handles, and not about how Siri is still just a fancy way to set a timer that only works 6 or 7 out of 10 tries at best. Read more: iOS 26 vs Android 16 vs One UI 7-visual comparison If you've been on this planet long enough, you definitely remember the early aughts, which were absolutely dominated by the Frutiger Aero and Windows Vista Aero Glass style language. Windows 7, which is arguably the best Windows version Microsoft has ever released (fine, Windows 10 is at least on par), also heavily leaned into the glass-like style, and it really clicked. Don't know about you, but this Windows 7 screenshot fills me with a warm nostalgia True, many of you remember that Windows Vista was received rather poorly back when it was released. The problem wasn't the aesthetics, but the outrageous at the time hardware requirements to run the beautiful Microsoft OS, which gave it a bad name and tarnished its public image. But wait, we can go deeper. In January 2000, at the turn of the millennium, Apple introduced the bold new and modern look for Mac OS X 10.0, called Aqua. This design language evolved over the years and was used until Mac OS X Tiger, but fell from grace with 2007's Leopard release. Yep, a rather glass-like interface if you ask me, and it came nearly 25 years ago It's a closed cycle of ideas, really, and this generation's Aqua is called Liquid Glass. See that? Get used to this look because it's going to be everywhere Not eager to point fingers here, but you can probably guess which manufacturers could be among the first to get inspired by the Liquid Glass aesthetics. I have a bunch I can name on the top of my head, and I have the feeling we're thinking about the same ones. Initially, I bet we'd see the design language creep through the lock screen notifications shade, or the quick settings menu. Then, someone would emulate the glass-like, see-through menu navigation elements and buttons. I hope I am not right and would be happy to be proven wrong in the years to come, but I think we'd quickly start seeing complete 1:1 homages to Liquid Glass on a smartphone or a tablet near us, further bringing brand identity into the gutter. That could be a terrible move for Android, which recently also scored a fancy new redesign. Material 3 Expressive is different, though, as it's merely a continuation and evolution of the Material Design of old and not such a major rethinking of the overall aesthetics. Another problem with Material 3 Expressive is that it will only be experienced to the fullest on Google's own Pixel phones and devices from some manufacturers that don't really deviate too much from stock Android (think Motorola, Sony, and some others). All other phone makers can decide just how much of Material 3 Expressive to adopt and to use in their interfaces, which definitely wouldn't help about Android's visual consistency across the board. Could be for the better, though: "Be together, not the same," anyone? I've recently bemoaned how one of my favorite phone brands has been slowly losing its identity in an ever-ending quest to copy Apple, and I hope I wouldn't have to do that for another favorite. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Tom's Guide
I tried the new CarPlay with the iOS 26 beta — and Apple just solved my biggest issue with infotainment interfaces
I can't tell you how helpful it is whenever I test a new EV and find that it comes with CarPlay. Along with Android Auto, Apple's car infotainment interface shouldn't be overlooked because it gives you better access to some of the most widely used features on your mobile device. During WWDC 2025, Apple announced new CarPlay features that are coming with iOS 26 — including a big makeover with its new Liquid Glass material design. I got to try out many of these new features with the iOS 26 developer beta running on my iPhone 16 Pro Max. Out of all the new features, there's one in particular that solves my biggest problem about the interfaces in today's best electric cars. It's a simple one that often gets overlooked, but I'm glad Apple addresses it in a big way with iOS 26. I can't remember testing out a car where it was easy to tell the time — and that's a big annoyance I have. Nowadays, the clock is buried in some off-screen way and when I do end up seeing it, the size is often minuscule and difficult to see. With the iOS 26 beta, though, Apple finally lets you add widgets to the CarPlay interface. There's a dedicated panel for these widgets in the left-most home screen, but this lets me select a clock style that's centered and much easier to see at a glance. It's perfect while I'm driving because it's so present now, rather than being buried to the side and small. iOS 26's CarPlay introduces widgets for just about everything, including controls to my HomeKit enabled devices at home like my smart lights and camera, a calendar with a list of my upcoming events, battery status indicators for my iPhone and Apple Watch, and much more. Now that Apple's unifying the feel and look of its interfaces across all platforms and devices, Liquid Glass gives CarPlay a makeover that makes it more layered. Unlike my issue with the iOS 26 beta on my iPhone, the transparency of the interface has more of an opaque look — like how notifications appear in CarPlay. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. I much prefer the way the new interface gives background elements — like the bubble that surrounds the three menu icons in the photo above — better separation between the two layers. While Liquid Glass isn't a huge change from the previous iteration of CarPlay, at least it doesn't look as distracting. There's also options to select light or dark modes, including an automatic one, so that the contrast of the interface makes it easy on the eyes. When an incoming text message came in while I was driving, I was surprised to see an option to perform a tapback — much like on my iPhone. This is a new option in iOS 26 CarPlay that lets you select a quick response, rather than speaking out a reply for Siri to send. It's helpful, for sure, because it's quick and to the point, mainly because of how Liquid Glass overlays the options to me in the interface. Now, I don't have to think about an actual reply so I can just stay focused on the road. Under the settings menu in CarPlay with the iOS 26 developers beta, I found an option to enable Live Activities. Even though I didn't have any apps that displayed a real-time status, it's an addition I'm eager to see more in action for various real-time alerts. From the looks of it, Live Activities are integrated with the main home screen, which can be chopped up into four different windows when Live Activities are engaged with a particular app. Just as before, the main window in CarPlay is reserved for your maps app, while the other two that I've seen are reserved for turn-by-turn navigational directions and your media player. A fourth window appears to pop up when an active live activity is running. There's more than a handful of new wallpapers to choose from, all with the signature iOS 26 flavors that complement Liquid Glass. While this is great, I still want to see an option to select my own photos to use as a backdrop. While Apple did announce that CarPlay is getting a video playback upgrade in iOS 26, the developer beta I'm testing doesn't appear to have the option available. Even when I placed the vehicle into park, I couldn't find the option to stream a YouTube video I was playing on my phone. Hopefully, it becomes available with future updates to the beta. And this feature could be even more helpful if it could stream to other displays within the vehicle — like how some mini vans have screens in the back seats. Even though CarPlay has integrated Apple Intelligence since the release of iOS 18.1, I think it would be more helpful if it could be tasked to perform simple in-car functions. At home, I can ask Siri to turn on the lights in my living room — so why can't I ask Siri to turn up the air condition to a faster setting? This would require car makers to give Apple more access, which could be a roadblock in itself. I've previously mentioned how I stopped using Apple Maps entirely in my car after a recent update to Google Maps, and I'm unlikely to switch back because of how well Google Maps informs me about speed traps and other road hazards. The downside of using Google Maps in this newest version of CarPlay is that it's still not supported on second screens in a vehicle — such as a heads-up display or the driver's side display. Only Apple Maps directions are supported by these secondary screens. All of the stuff I'd like to see appears to be addressed by CarPlay Ultra, which offers deeper integration than what's currently available. It's being offered first to Aston Martin's core model lineup, but other car makers should be getting it as well in the next 12 months. What's really impressive about this new interface is how it encompasses more vehicle functions — like being able to control the radio, interior lights, and climate controls — all within CarPlay so you don't have to exit it.
CNET
3 days ago
- CNET
iOS 18 vs. iOS 26: Learn Exactly How Liquid Glass Will Make Your iPhone Look Different
The new Liquid Glass design language -- inspired by VisionOS on the Vision Pro headset -- is coming for all of your Apple devices. iPhone owners can either install the developer beta now or wait until the fall to see what's in store. Obviously, it looks good, but it provides some meaningful updates to what you have on your iPhone right now that will soon make it feel even better to use, thanks to its updated responsiveness. This upgrade from iOS 18 actually isn't as dramatic as it might initially seem. Visually, at least. (Right, Apple is skipping 19 and the other intervening numbers.) Think of it as touch-up rather than reconstructive surgery, with iOS 26's other, more mundane features tucked underneath. Liquid Glass on the home screen is a fairly minimal change, which is a good thing. We're only at the first developer beta of the new OS and design, though, and Apple will undoubtedly make tweaks until its final release. Below, we'll take a closer look at both iOS 26 and iOS 18 to see what's different between the two. For more, here's why you might want to hold off installing the iOS 26 developer beta. Home screen Apple kept the new Liquid Glass minimal on the home screen, with only minor changes to the default home screen appearance versus iOS 18's. Apple/Screenshot by Jeff Carlson Looking at the home screens, the primary difference you'll find is that in iOS 26 the background of the dock and the search option that sits in between the dock and the home screen icons are more transparent and have a sheen to the edges, whereas in iOS 18, these are slightly darker. Other smaller changes are that the icons on iOS 26 look slightly larger, and some app icons seem to have been more influenced by the redesign than others, most notably (from the screenshots) Settings, Camera and Mail. For Liquid Glass to really shine on the home screen, you'll want to opt for the "All Clear" mode, which will create the most dramatic change to your icons and widgets. Going this route could potentially introduce some viewability issues, but the "reduce transparency" setting remedies this quite well. Control Center Apple/Screenshot by Jeff Carlson Things here are largely unchanged. Outside of the new glassy look in iOS 26, the 1x2 and 2x1 controls are more rounded than that of iOS 18. Lock screen Apple/Screenshot by Jeff Carlson It's easy to see the differences that Liquid Glass brings to the lock screen of the iPhone. The digital clock in iOS 26 dynamically resizes depending on the wallpaper and the number of notifications you have at any given moment, which is pretty cool. The clock itself on iOS 18 can be changed, but it won't change in size in response to content displayed on the lock screen. The background on notifications is clearly different between the two OS versions, with iOS 18 providing more opacity and a black text versus iOS 26's near-transparent background on white text. The controls at the bottom in iOS 26 also appear more like physical buttons with depth and more of a see-through background. The new unlock effect in iOS 26 is that the motion of unlocking your iPhone will appear as though you're lifting a sheet of glass, highlighted by a shiny edge to give it form when you begin to slide your finger up. Menus and dynamic tab bars iOS 26's new Dynamic Tab gives you a cleaner look and more space to view your content. Apple/Screenshot by Jeff Carlson A new addition in iOS 26 is the introduction of dynamic tab bars in apps that will change depending on whether you're scrolling or trying to perform a specific action. Apple says this will create a more intuitive experience while freeing up space for your content. If you were to replace the glass effect with heavily saturated colors, no one would blame you for mistaking this new tab bar with what Google's doing in Android 16 in some of its apps -- they look a lot alike. But compared to iOS 18, this new dynamic tab bar should not only reduce sifting through multiple menus, but it looks pretty good in the process. iOS 26 will dynamically adapt to light and dark backgrounds In iOS 26, the color of menu icons and icon text will adapt depending on the background. Apple/GIF by CNET While it's harder to compare Liquid Glass to iOS 18 here, an upcoming feature is that buttons and menus will adapt depending on the content's background color. For instance, when you're scrolling through an app with a light background, the floating menu options will appear with black text for easier viewing and will automatically change to white upon scrolling to a dark background. in iOS 18, some apps aspects of the user interface would appear darker depending on the color of the background, but less so than how Liquid Glass handles it now. CNET/ Screenshots by Jeff Carlson iOS has had this type of feature show up in a less dramatic fashion before, as you can tell from the photos app screenshots above. Comparing these to what's on the horizon, it's hard not to get excited about the small tweaks Liquid Glass has in store, too. Those are just a few of our initial findings, and we'll likely add more once we surface them. If you want more about iOS 26, check out three upcoming features that are a bigger deal than Liquid Glass.
