June 9, 2025
PRESS RELEASE
Apple Unveils a Stunning New Software Design
In a groundbreaking move, Apple has introduced a refined and delightful new software design that elevates user experience across all platforms. This design emphasizes content while ensuring continuity with Apple’s familiar aesthetics.
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA – Apple today announced an enthralling new software design that enhances app interaction through vibrant and expressive visuals while retaining user familiarity. At the core of this design is a novel material called Liquid Glass, which adapts to its surroundings, enhancing focus on content and adding a new layer of energy across various elements, from app icons to widgets. For the first time, this design will be implemented across all platforms: iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 261, creating a harmonious yet distinct experience.
“At Apple, we prioritize the seamless integration of hardware and software, crafting interactions that are intuitive, beautiful, and engaging,” stated Alan Dye, Apple’s Vice President of Human Interface Design. “This is our largest software design overhaul yet. The Liquid Glass material combines glass-like optical qualities with an unmatched fluidity, transforming based on context. This innovation sets the stage for future experiences, making even the simplest interactions delightful.”
Introducing Liquid Glass: An Innovative Material
Inspired by the dimensional depth of visionOS, this design leverages Apple’s technological advancements in hardware and graphics. Liquid Glass is translucent and mirrors real-world glass behavior, with its color dynamically changing based on surrounding content and lighting conditions. Developed in close collaboration between design and engineering, Liquid Glass features real-time rendering that responds to movement, creating an engaging experience on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.
This exquisite material encapsulates all user interactions, enhancing everything from buttons and switches to larger UI elements like tab bars and sidebars. It also enriches system experiences across key functionalities such as the Lock Screen and Home Screen.
Revitalized App Designs
In pursuit of a refined focus on content, Apple’s design team meticulously reviewed every aspect of its platforms to identify new opportunities for improvement.
Redesigned controls, toolbars, and navigation elements are now shaped to complement modern hardware, enhancing harmony between the interface and content. Controls crafted from Liquid Glass provide a distinct functional layer, dynamically adapting to user needs and ensuring easier navigation.
Tab bars and sidebars receive a fresh treatment as well. In iOS 26, tab bars shrink when users scroll, allowing for greater content visibility and fluidly expanding upon scrolling back up. Meanwhile, the updated sidebars in iPadOS and macOS enhance user immersion by reflecting and refracting content behind them.
These design updates significantly enhance experiences in key applications such as Camera, Photos, Safari, FaceTime, Apple Music, Apple News, and Apple Podcasts.
A Unified Experience Across Platforms
The new design spans iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, with updates to core experiences including the Lock Screen and desktop. The time display on the Lock Screen now uses Liquid Glass, emphasizing photo wallpapers while adapting fluidly to match the content.
On the Home Screen and desktop, app icons, widgets, and the Dock are crafted from layers of Liquid Glass, creating stunning visuals while offering new personalization options. For instance, macOS Tahoe 26 allows users to customize their desktops and Dock with dynamic widgets and icons that adapt seamlessly to light and dark themes, featuring an elegant transparent menu bar for a larger display feel.
Empowering Developers
Apple is also introducing an updated set of APIs for developers using SwiftUI, UIKit, and AppKit to easily incorporate the new design. By leveraging Liquid Glass and updated controls, developers can refresh their app designs to enhance user interactions.
About Apple
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984 and continues to lead global innovation with products like iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Its six software platforms—iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS—offer seamless experiences across devices while delivering groundbreaking services like the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. With over 150,000 employees, Apple is committed to creating the best products and improving the world.
- Available on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation and later).
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Norman Tan
Apple
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Apple Media Helpline
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