App developer: Why Apple Liquid Glass needs on the iPhone

Why did Apple started a new change in its user interfaces this year – felt unmotivated? Are things like a reasonable AI competition with Openai, Anthropic, Google and Co. more important? Craig Hockenberry, long-time developer of MacOS and iOS apps and founders of the Iconfactoryhas to do so In his blog some thoughts made. In his view, Apple invests with the large change to Liquid Glass in its own future, especially that of the hardware.

Memories of iOS 6 according to iOS 7

Apple’s last big break in user interface design took place at the transition from iOS 6 to iOS 7. At that time, design legend Jony Ive himself took care of the redesign. The idea: away from the somewhat intelligible Skeuomorphism in apps with artificial wood, virtually green felt or pixelated leather application, towards a look that was minimalistic and put the content in the foreground. IOS 7 also dyeed something on MacOS later, but there was no back then.

At first glance, the switch from iOS 18 to iOS 26 has less harsh than from iOS 6 to iOS 7. Basic elements have remained. But the glassy changes are visible in many small and large places. There are numerous new icons, tab strips have been postponed, search strips too, and the first look at the operating system after installation should definitely take out the getting used to. But why now?

Nobody needs Liquid Glass – except Apple

“I don’t know anyone outside of Apple who thinks: we really need more liquid glass in our designs,” writes Hockenberry. But the answer is simple: we don’t need that, but Apple needs it. He believes that Apple is working on devices where the screen will seamlessly pass into the physical edges. “Something where a flexible OLED display makes the difference between pixels and edge blur.” Hockenberry can imagine a “Wraparound” display.

Such devices actually seem to be in Apple’s pipeline. The Group’s first foldable is planned for autumn 2026, the following year the “Wraparound” iPhone, which may be said, as a anniversary model for the 20th birthday of the smartphone line. When working with iOS 26, Hockenberry noticed that Apple does not want controls or containers to touch the screen edge. This reminds him of certain areas that could not be proven with iOS 11, because there was an emergency and home indicator. “Then everything changed.” Hockenberry believes that working on the user interface that many developers has cost many hours of the past few months will “make a lot more sense”. Those developers who did not pay attention would experience a “Holy Shit” moment.