Apple has made significant changes to its iOS 26 interface with the latest developer beta update, addressing user complaints that the original design was too difficult to read.
In June, WWDC introduced Apple’s new Liquid Glass design language, inspired by the optical qualities of glass. However, early versions of iOS 26 left room for improvement in terms of usability, accessibility, and legibility.
Last month, Apple fixed some prominent issues with Liquid Glass, including visual clutter caused by transparent backgrounds. The latest update takes a further step back from an overly glassy look, specifically addressing Notifications and navigation within first-party apps like Apple Music.
Key changes include:
– A solid white background for the navigation bar in Apple’s music app
– Darkened backgrounds behind notification text to increase contrast
Some users have expressed concern that Apple has overcorrected, returning to a more “frosted glass” aesthetic. However, these are just developer betas designed to collect feedback and address issues before the final public release this fall.
The goal of beta software is for Apple to find the optimal balance between design elements, and future updates may continue to refine the Liquid Glass look and feel within every app and screen.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/07/ios-26-beta-3-dials-back-liquid-glass