TLDR Design · MISCELLANEOUS
LIQUID GLASS IS CRACKED, AND USABILITY SUFFERS IN IOS 26
Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter
iOS 26's new "Liquid Glass" visual language prioritizes decorative effects over usability, making interfaces harder to read through translucent elements, text-on-text overlays, and distracting animations. Apple has shrunk tap targets, moved search from top to bottom, removed breadcrumb labels from back buttons, and made controls appear and disappear unpredictably, forcing longtime users to relearn basic navigation. The design breaks established iOS conventions in favor of Android-style patterns while adding visual spectacle that obscures content rather than highlighting it.