iPhone users BLAST Apple’s ‘disgustingly ugly’ iOS 26 update – as they claim the Liquid Glass design has rendered the devices ‘unreadable’

Apple finally released one of its most exciting iPhone^[1] updates this week – iOS 26. 

The design overhaul brings translucent, glass–like effects known as ‘Liquid Glass’ to app icons, the lock screen, and home screen. 

Many fans have rushed to install the update – first announced back in June^[2] – but it seems some are already regretting their decision. 

While Apple calls Liquid Glass ‘beautiful’, users claim the glassy finish has rendered their devices ‘unreadable’. 

Taking to X, one user said: ‘First time I hate the new iOS 26 so much. Everything is wobbly, flashy, distracting. Most things are unreadable.’

Another added: ‘iOS 26 is a visual disaster. #LiquidGlass turns Notification Center into a warped nightmare, the keyboard makes people nauseous, and Control Center in dark mode looks like snake rings.’

And one vented: ‘iOS 26 is an abomination. I miss the Steve Jobs era of Apple.’

Liquid Glass isn’t the only iOS 26 features fans are struggling with – with many also reporting battery drain following the update. ^[3]

Apple finally released one of its most exciting iPhone updates this week – iOS 26. The design overhaul brings translucent, glass–like effects known as ‘Liquid Glass’ to app icons, the lock screen, and home screen

‘Whoever ticked off Liquid Glass at Apple in iOS 26 should be fired. It’s disgustingly ugly. And there’s no way to turn it off. I want my normal Home Screen icons back!’ one user vented

One joked: ‘Liquid Glass looks cool as hell but also *exactly* like what i get in my eyes just before i get slapped with a migraine’

iOS 26 includes a range of new features in the Phone and Messages apps, as well as CarPlay, Apple Music, Maps, Wallet, and Apple Games.

However, the change that has really got people talking is Liquid Glass. 

‘Liquid Glass [is] a new translucent material that reflects and refracts its surroundings, bringing greater focus to content, and delivering a new level of vitality across controls, navigation, app icons, widgets, and more,’ Apple explained in a post on its newsroom. 

‘The new design extends to the Home Screen and Lock Screen, making them more personal and expressive than ever. 

‘Liquid Glass also brings new customisation options to app icons and widgets, including a stunning clear look.’

While iOS 26 was announced back in June, it only became widely available on Monday – and it seems Liquid Glass hasn’t proved a hit. 

‘Liquid Glass really is as bad as I feared it would be,’ one user tweeted. 

‘Text is still difficult to read in many apps, the animations are slow and clunky, actions that used to take 1 click now take 2 or more and overall it feels dated, amateurish and not what I’d expect from Apple.

Taking to X, one user said: ‘First time I hate the new iOS 26 so much. Everything is wobbly, flashy, distracting. Most of things are unreadable’

‘Liquid Glass really is as bad as I feared it would be,’ one user tweeted about Apple’s new design interface

‘Liquid Glass as a design language works for devices like the Vision Pro where you’re literally looking through the UI, but it just doesn’t feel right on an iPhone where tangible, easy to read iconography and buttons are essential.’

Another added: ‘Whoever ticked off Liquid Glass at Apple in iOS 26 should be fired. It’s disgustingly ugly. And there’s no way to turn it off. I want my normal Home Screen icons back!’

And one joked: ‘Liquid Glass looks cool as hell but also *exactly* like what i get in my eyes just before i get slapped with a migraine.’

If you’ve downloaded iOS 26 and aren’t convinced by the Liquid Glass effect, thankfully help is at hand. 

Joanna Stern, senior personal tech columnist at the Wall Street Journal, has revealed how you can get rid of the effect. 

‘To really get rid of the effect, got to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text > Reduce Transparency,’ she explained in a video posted to X. 

‘That will remove the transluscent look of almost everything.

‘If you just want to lessen the effect, try the Increase Contrast option.’

As for any battery drain issues following the update, thankfully Apple has confirmed that these are only temporary. 

‘Immediately after completing an update, particularly a major release, you might notice a temporary impact on battery life and thermal performance,’ it explained in new guidance. 

‘This is normal, as your device needs time to complete the setup process in the background, including indexing data and files for search, downloading new assets, and updating apps.

‘New features are exciting and help you get even more out of your Apple product, though some may require additional resources from the device. 

‘Depending on individual usage, some users may notice a small impact on performance and/or battery life. 

‘Apple continually works to optimize these features in software updates to ensure great battery life and a smooth user experience.’

THE TRILLION DOLLAR RISE OF APPLE^[6]

1976: Founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne created the company on April 1 1976 as they set about selling computer kits to hobbyists, each of which was built by Wozniak.

The first product was the Apple I. 

1977: Apple released the Apple II in June, which was the first PC made for the mass market. 

Steve Jobs unveils Apple Computer Corporation’s new Macintosh February 6, 1984 in California.

1981: Jobs became chairman.  

1984: The Macintosh was introduced during an ad break for the Super Bowl and later officially unveiled during a launch event. It was discontinued a year later and Jobs left the firm.

1987: Apple released the Macintosh II, the first colour Mac.

1997: Apple announces it will acquire NeXT software in a $400 million deal that involves Jobs returning to Apple as interim CEO. He officially took the role in 2000.  

The then Chief Executive Officer of Apple, Steve Jobs, with the iPhone

2001: Apple introduced iTunes, OS X and the first-generation iPod.

The first iPod MP3 music player was released on October 23, 2001, at an event in Cupertino and was able to hold up to 1,000 songs.

2007: Apple unveils the iPhone. 

2010: The first iPad was unveiled.

2011: Jobs resigned in 2011 due to illness, handing the CEO title to Tim Cook. Jobs died in October from pancreatic cancer.

2014: Apple unveiled the Apple Watch. It also unveiled its first larger iPhones – the 6 and 6 Plus. 

2015: After purchasing Beats from Dr Dre, Apple launched Apple Music to compete with Spotify and other music streaming services. 

2016: Apple returned to its roots and announced the 4-inch iPhone SE. Meanwhile, the firm is embroiled in a legal battle with the FBI, involving the agency demanding access to the locked phone used by Syed Farook, who died in a shootout after carrying out a deadly December attack in San Bernardino, California with his wife. The court order was dropped on March 28 after the FBI said a third party was able to unlock the device.  

2017: Apple introduces the iPhone X, which removes the home button to make way for a futuristic edge-to-edge screen design and a new FaceID system that uses advanced sensors and lasers to unlock phones with just the owner’s face.    

Apple CEO Steve Jobs speaks at an Apple event at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.

2018: In a first for the company, Apple introduces new features in its latest operating system, iOS 12, that encourage users to manage and spend less time on their devices. The move was spawned by a strongly worded letter from shareholders that urged the firm to address the growing problem of smartphone addiction among kids and teenagers. 

2019: In January, Apple reports its first decline in revenues and profits in a decade. CEO Tim Cook partly blamed steep declines in revenue from China.

2020: In March, Apple closes all its bricks and mortar retail stores outside of China in response to coronavirus. 

2021: In an online virtual event in April CEO Tim Cook declared Apple’s goal of becoming carbon neutral for Earth Day. Later in the year the iPhone 13 was announced. 

2022: In September the iPhone 14 was announced. One of the new features included a new sensor to detect if a user had been in a car crash as well as an improved camera system. 

2023: Apple brought back its ‘Home Pod’ after the first generation was discontinued. The ‘Home Pod’ can be seen as an alternative to Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home as it is powered by voice commands. 

2024: Apple makes its first steps into artificial intelligence with the release of Apple Intelligence. The features are not all released at once with many delayed until the following year.