With the release of the third developer beta of iOS 26 on Monday, the iPhone’s glassy appearance has been toned down. This change comes in response to user complaints that the previous update made certain parts of the user interface more difficult to read.
In June, at WWDC 2025, Apple introduced its new design language, known as Liquid Glass, which draws inspiration from the optical properties of glass, including its ability to refract light and its translucent nature.
However, the initial version of Liquid Glass in the first developer beta of iOS 26 and subsequent updates for other Apple devices still had room for improvement in terms of usability, accessibility, and legibility.
Last month, Apple addressed some of the more significant issues with Liquid Glass, such as the overly transparent Control Center, which allowed iPhone Home Screen icons and widgets to shine through, creating visual clutter and confusion.
The latest update, beta 3, sees Apple taking further steps to dial back the glassy look in several key areas. While beta 2 focused on the Control Center, beta 3 shifts its attention to other aspects of the mobile operating system, including Notifications and navigation within Apple’s first-party apps, such as Apple Music.
For example, the navigation bar in Apple’s streaming music app no longer features a background that shines through, instead opting for a more solid white appearance.
Notifications have also been made less translucent, with the background behind the text darkened to increase contrast.
Although these changes may make features easier to read, some users now complain that Apple has gone too far in the opposite direction, resulting in a return to a more “frosted glass” aesthetic.
It’s essential to remember that these are just developer betas, which are early versions of the mobile operating system that won’t be finalized until their public release this fall. The purpose of beta software is to collect feedback, identify bugs, and address issues before the software is rolled out more broadly.
This means Apple may continue to refine the Liquid Glass look and feel over the coming releases to find the ideal balance for the new glassy appearance within every app and screen.
