Response to usability criticism
When Apple introduced Liquid Glass with iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe, user reactions — particularly from developers and designers — were swift: reduced readability, icons losing their chromatic identity in the interface, sidebars floating discontinuously away from window edges. At WWDC 2026, Apple showed it had listened, at least in part. As Tom's Guide documents in its keynote coverage, sidebars now extend to the edge of the window, addressing one of the most frequently reported visual issues.
A second adjustment concerns icons: rather than becoming opaque or washed out in the Liquid Glass context, they retain their original color. The change seems minor but has a direct usability impact, since color is often the fastest cognitive signal for identifying an app in a crowded sidebar. Third: Apple is aiming for a more consistent look for all first-party icons across iOS, iPadOS and macOS, unifying corner radius and artwork layering.
Enough?
The revisions described are incremental adjustments, not a rethinking of the approach. The Liquid Glass system remains in its essence — the layered transparency that responds to background color is still there — but with tweaks designed to reduce visual noise during extended work sessions. Whether they are sufficient will be answered by beta testers over the coming weeks.