What is the design thinking here for displaying the time over my wallpaper? Letting the wallpaper bleed through in this way makes it hard to see and in no way pleasant.
What is going on here exactly?
Also, what effect is the highlighting/shading meant to be achieving? I don’t see it - if it is a layer of something liquid I don’t feel it works at a basic level. What am I missing?
Similarly the highlights in these buttons doesn’t seem to successfully replicate anything in real life and confuses my brain.
Is it trying and failing (at least for me) to be skemorphic (if that is the word ) or is something else being attempted?
Any design people here care to comment?
IMO, Liquid Glass is meant to distract us from the fact that Apple is struggling to deliver on last year’s promises. It serves much the same purpose as a magician’s assistant.
Miss Direction would like a word. She is easier on the eyes.
Ask her to text me the time and the place she wants to meet. I’ll pay for dinner.
Well, it’s a “look”, I guess.
The clock could possibly be an effect you’d see on semi-transparent 3D-shapes of glass that is lit from below, but that sure isn’t an everyday, common sight. The flat Control Center is possibly trying to do the same thing, but failing due to its minimal z-height. If one is feeling very generous, the look could also be explained by a two-light setup. (Two light sources pointing straight towards each other.)
Luckily, it don’t really bother me.
I want the modal dialogs to not be left-justified. It looks so bad. Then we can move on to the other design elements.
My only comment is how can I be sure to prevent any updating?
NONE of the screen shots I’ve seen of the new stuff in IOS or Mac OS make me want to update at all! I can’t even read some of the things and the semi-transparent look is incredibly confusing.
Turn off automatic download and automatic install in Settings on your devices.
Then check them regularly because these settings have been known to change on their own.
It doesn’t bother me as such, but as an old timer who has appreciated the sheer pleasure of Mac design since 1993 it’s just a bit of a shock tbh!
Don’t do it, Oogie. I was in the same boat (knew I would hate it but updated anyway). It’s been pure hell.
Well, that sucks
I can’t recommend reading my long missive on the linked post about the trouble I’ve had (feel free to check it out if you like hearing an old man shout at the sky), but my phone is essentially unusable (not just design dislike… things just don’t work). I’m trying a nuke and pave. If that doesn’t work, I will probably go to ebay and look for a used phone with iOS18 still on it (probably will just go all-in and roll back to a 13 Mini… battery life be damned).
Can’t you download to 18.7 which is the current non-26 iOS?
I’ve done that before but it didn’t always work. I think I got caught in the the settings change on their own problem
As I understand it, even if you could get the iOS 18 software, if it’s not signed by Apple the phone will not install it.
I read your original post. I understand your frustration.
I installed OS 26 on my iPad and iPhone and have been making all kinds of settings changes in an effort to make the them usable again. But some of the changes made things even worse (if you can believe that). But I backed up both to my Mac right after the “upgrade” so I was able to quickly wipe & restore them for a second try.
And I may be wiping them again in the next few days for a third try.
Update: 29 SEP 2025 Just finished iPad Air wipe and rebuild #4.
Apple might still sign iOS 18.7 (I think they only stopped signing 18.6.2 a few days ago), but 18.7 is apparently only available over the air; nobody published links to the IPSW files.
At this point I’m committed to OS 26. I have to make peace with Liquid Glass or not purchase from Apple when I need to replace my devices.
I think it’s a losing battle trying to stay on os18. I’ve found by reducing transparency and not using photos for any backgrounds makes the ui useable.
I do wonder how they come up with these things. Where in all creation is Liquid Glass useful? That should have been a big hint not to use it.
