Since the release of iOS 26,The all-new "Liquid Glass" design languageOpinions were polarized, and Apple's lead interface designer, Alan Dye, was also involved.I switched jobs to Meta at the end of last year.Many had hoped Apple would bring a major interface overhaul in the upcoming iOS 27. However, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman...Latest reportsIt is alleged that Apple does not intend to give the Liquid Glass interface a complete visual overhaul in iOS 27 or macOS 27, but instead will opt for "gradual improvements" over the years, and may add a system-level transparency adjustment slider to give users control of the interface.
The design, which allows for unimpeded movement even on high-rise buildings, will continue, and Liquid Glass will undergo progressive optimization.
Since the introduction of Liquid Glass in iOS 26, many users have found its excessive transparency and reflective properties uncomfortable, believing it negatively impacts text readability. Late last year, Alan Dye, the key figure behind the interface's design, announced his departure to move to Meta, where his role was taken over by senior designer Steve Lemay. This major personnel reshuffle led to speculation that Apple might be "completely redesigning" iOS 27.
However, Mark Gurman points out that the latest internal beta versions of iOS 27 and macOS 27 do not reflect any major design changes. After all, Liquid Glass is a cross-platform consistent visual experience that Apple has painstakingly developed over many years (even dating back to the development of visionOS), and it cannot be completely overturned overnight. Its future development direction will be..."Continuous, gradual improvement over many years".
In fact, Apple has made compromises in subsequent updates to iOS 26, such as adding the "Tinted" option in iOS 26.1 and allowing users to turn off the reflective highlights of Liquid Glass in iOS 26.4.
Giving control back to users: Rumors suggest the introduction of a "system-level transparency slider".
Regarding specific improvements in iOS 27, Mark Gurman revealed that Apple is developing a new feature that will allow users to have more precise control over the Liquid Glass interface.
During the development of iOS 26, Apple attempted to create a "systemwide slider" that would allow users to freely adjust the intensity of the glass effect. At the time, this feature was only successfully implemented on the clock on the lock screen. When trying to extend it to the entire system, including app folders, the home screen, and the navigation bar, it encountered technical and engineering challenges.
If Apple's engineering team can successfully overcome these challenges and bring this system-level slider to the forefront in iOS 27 as scheduled, users will no longer be limited to the black-and-white "transparent" or "colored" options, but will be able to fine-tune it to create the most comfortable reading experience based on their personal visual preferences. This change may significantly quell the complaints about the Liquid Glass interface.
Analysis of viewpoints
From the skeuomorphism of the Jony Ive era to the flat design of iOS 7, and now to the spaciousness of Liquid Glass, every major interface redesign by Apple has been accompanied by great controversy and a period of growing pains.
While Alan Dye's departure caused a major uproar, Apple, under Steve Lemay's leadership, has clearly opted for a more pragmatic "bug-fixing and fine-tuning" strategy. Rather than forcing users to relearn everything again in a short time, Apple is using personalized settings like "system-wide sliders" to maintain the modern feel it promotes while catering to the reading needs of different user groups. This suggests that iOS 27 will be a mature version focused on "stability and feature refinement."
