Apple is releasing one other instrument to dial down Liquid Glass’ transparency with its launch of iOS 26.2, out now. With the replace, customers will be capable of management the transparency of the Lock Display’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 consumer complaints that the modifications made their iPhone or different Apple machine too arduous to learn.
Launched with iOS 26, the new design language for Apple gadgets turns numerous 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 programs and doubtlessly put together for a world the place the working system strikes to AI good glasses, Liquid Glass obtained combined opinions. Some discovered that the transparency made their machine tough to make use of, because it turned difficult to learn key objects, like notifications or the identify of an artist in Apple Music. In response to consumer complaints, Apple launched a Liquid Glass instrument 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 characteristic, as an alternative of a worldwide 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.
Not like Dye, Lemay’s profession was spent in interface and interplay design — a ability set known as for relating to 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 turn out to be a “identified” AirDrop contact for a 30-day interval. The characteristic may make sense at work or in different situations the place it’s essential to share recordsdata or pictures with somebody not saved in your Contacts.
Additionally in iOS 26.2, the Reminders helps alarms; Apple Information features 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 characteristic for linking to different exhibits, and different modifications.
Apple Watch homeowners may also 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 necessary 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.
