APPLE'S UNRIVALLED COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IS FADING – A DESIGNER EXPLAINS WHY

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

Apple's Liquid Glass design faced widespread criticism for poor usability, including difficult-to-read transparency effects, confusing animations, and inconsistent visual elements. The problematic rollout coincided with key leadership departures, including design VP Alan Dye leaving for Meta, suggesting deeper cultural issues at a company historically defined by design perfectionism. While fixes are expected in the March OS 27 update, the pattern of underwhelming user experience signals Apple's luxury brand status is eroding as it loses the uncompromising design ethos established under Steve Jobs.