Apple's Liquid Glass: When Aesthetics Beat Function

9 months ago

Apple introduced Liquid Glass at WWDC 2025, a transparent design system for all operating systems, prioritizing aesthetics over function.
Liquid Glass interfaces have readability issues, with text becoming hard to read over busy backgrounds, diminishing usability.
Skeuomorphism, like using floppy disk icons for 'save,' helped users understand digital concepts by connecting them to familiar physical objects.
Transparency in spatial computing (e.g., visionOS) makes sense for safety and immersion but doesn't translate well to traditional 2D interfaces.
Apple is prioritizing visual consistency over readability, similar to how car dashboards replaced physical knobs with less functional touchscreens.
Early iOS 26 beta releases show Apple reducing transparency and adding blur effects to improve readability, hinting at a possible course correction.
The article emphasizes that design should prioritize function over form, as failures in design lead to user frustration and usability problems.

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