Apple is releasing one other software to dial down Liquid Glass’ transparency with its launch of iOS 26.2, out now. With the replace, customers will have the ability to management the transparency of the Lock Display screen’s clock. The discharge follows an replace that launched a slider for controlling the opacity of Liquid Glass parts by means of the working system, following person complaints that the modifications made their iPhone or different Apple system too laborious to learn.
Launched with iOS 26, the new design language for Apple units turns varied interface parts like buttons, sliders, and notifications semi-transparent. The weather additionally refract mild, giving them the optical qualities of glass.
Meant to modernize Apple’s working techniques and probably put together for a world the place the working system strikes to AI good glasses, Liquid Glass acquired combined evaluations. Some discovered that the transparency made their system tough to make use of, because it turned tough to learn key objects, like notifications or the identify of an artist in Apple Music. In response to person complaints, Apple launched a Liquid Glass software in iOS 26.1 that allowed customers to return their interface to a extra “frosted” look, if desired.
With the slider for the Clock’s “glassiness,” Apple is once more rolling again the transparency of the Liquid Glass replace, however within the type of one other user-controlled customization function, as an alternative of a world change.
These tweaks are notable as they telegraph that maybe Apple isn’t standing 100% behind the design overhaul as being excellent as is.
The timing of the change is price noting, too. Earlier this month, Apple confirmed the design govt behind the Liquid Glass makeover, Alan Dye, was leaving the corporate for Meta. Whereas it didn’t seem that Dye was pushed out, Apple changed him with longtime Apple designer Stephen Lemay.
In contrast to Dye, Lemay’s profession was spent in interface and interplay design — a talent set referred to as for in the case of fixing Liquid Glass, it may be argued.
iOS 26.2 introduced different new options past the most recent Liquid Glass tweak.
As within the betas, customers can now create AirDrop codes to share with folks not of their contacts, permitting them to change into a “known” AirDrop contact for a 30-day interval. The function would possibly make sense at work or in different situations the place it is advisable to share information or images with somebody not saved in your Contacts.
Additionally in iOS 26.2, the Reminders helps alarms; Apple Information positive factors a Following tab on the backside nav bar together with different navigation modifications; Apple Music provides offline lyrics; and the Podcasts app provides AI-generated chapters for podcast episodes, a Podcast Point out function for linking to different exhibits, and different modifications.
Apple Watch house owners will even now get a Sleep Rating primarily based on how properly they slept and in the event that they met their sleep objectives.
Apple additionally launched a number of vital safety updates throughout its flagship merchandise on Friday, together with iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TVs, and Apple Watches, to patch vulnerabilities utilized in an energetic hacking marketing campaign.
