Apple has been refining Liquid Glass throughout the developer beta testing course of, and each beta two and beta three have launched some main tweaks. There was little outcry over the updates that Apple made within the second beta, however the third beta’s design updates have annoyed some customers who really feel that Apple is eradicating an excessive amount of of the Liquid Glass aesthetic.
For context, Apple made navigation bars extra opaque throughout many apps in iOS 26 beta 3, and we have got a collection of side-by-side comparisons that show what’s completely different. In the entire comparability pictures, beta 2 is on the left and beta 3 is on the fitting.
Apple Music
Apple Music‘s backside navigation bar is extra opaque, and it has the frosted glass look that Apple is now favoring. The change is most noticeable when scrolling over a background that has shade. In beta 2, the navigation bar was virtually translucent, permitting a lot of the background shade to shine by way of. That impact is considerably diminished in beta 3.
Safari
The modifications in Safari fluctuate relying on what you are doing, the background shade of the web site, and which Tab View design you are utilizing. Basically, the URL bar is extra opaque and fewer liable to notable shifts in shade. Much less of the background comes by way of.
The URL bar will nonetheless change from gentle to darkish if the content material you are scrolling over is predominantly darkish, however there is a larger threshold for that to kick on.
It is best to see the distinction with the Compact View, as a result of it was essentially the most translucent view to start with.
App Retailer
The App Retailer‘s navigation bar has one of the noticeable modifications, and it is virtually completely opaque now.
Podcasts
As with ‌Apple Music‌, translucency has been virtually completely eradicated within the Podcasts navigation bar. The change is best to see with backgrounds which have shade.
Apple TV
The Apple TV app has a darker background and the change is extra delicate. The overlaying navigation bar is a darker glass shade, however transparency seems to be comparable.
Pictures
For the Pictures app, Apple tweaked the design in the same technique to the ‌Apple TV‌ app. The navigation bar is darker, however there’s been little change to transparency.
Calendar
Calendar’s navigation buttons are extra opaque, each in Gentle Mode and Darkish Mode.
Keyboard
The Highlight Search keyboard is each extra and fewer translucent. The keyboard itself has barely extra background seen, however the search bar is darker.
Darkish Mode
‌Darkish Mode‌ has retained extra transparency than Gentle Mode for essentially the most half, so you might even see much less of a distinction you probably have ‌Darkish Mode‌ enabled completely. Some menu bar components are darker than earlier than, however white textual content on a darkish background is extra readable so Apple needed to enhance the opaqueness much less.
This is not true for all apps, although, and there are areas with darkish navigation bars that even have much less translucency.
Coloration Dependency
The distinction that you just see between beta 2 and beta 3 can fluctuate fairly a bit relying on the colour within the background. With some white backgrounds, it is laborious to inform that the Liquid Glass has a extra frosted look, and the updates are principally noticeable with gentle colours.
Over content material that’s are darker, navigation bars will typically transition to their ‌Darkish Mode‌ view that seems extra translucent, as might be seen within the Safari screenshot under. This is identical impact you may see with ‌Darkish Mode‌ enabled.
Notifications, Lock Display, and Residence Display
On the Lock Display, the time is ever so barely extra opaque than it was earlier than. With some background colours, notifications even have a darker background than earlier than, however this is not all the time noticeable. Residence Display and Management Heart have not modified a lot if in any respect.
For App Library, the search bar would not have blurred edges when scrolling, which makes it simpler to see. Apple hasn’t modified translucency.
Different App Modifications
Most of Apple’s built-in apps have tweaked buttons and navigation bars in ‌iOS 26‌ beta 3, with repeats of the design modifications listed above.
- Climate – The buttons on the backside of the app are a lot darker than earlier than, and the search button is not translucent.
- Digicam – No noticeable change.
- FaceTime – No noticeable change.
- Messages – The search bar is not as translucent, neither is the message compose bar. Popover buttons have not modified.
- Maps – Maps is definitely extra translucent, as a result of it is utilizing Liquid Glass for the turn-by-turn instructions which might be proven on the prime of the app.
- Mail – Buttons have much less translucency.
- Notes – The buttons and navigation bar within the Notes app already had little translucency, nevertheless it’s been diminished additional and is sort of non-existent.
- Reminders – While you’re composing a Reminder, the toolbar has much less translucency. The search bar and popover menus are the identical.
- Clock – No change.
- Well being – The Well being app’s navigation bar and search bar are rather less clear, nevertheless it was already pretty opaque.
- Pockets – Buttons aren’t as clear, so for those who scroll over one thing with shiny colours, it is not seen behind the button.
- Settings – The Search bar is extra opaque.
- Discover My – No change.
- Shares – The translucency of Prime Tales is unchanged, however the search bar has elevated opacity.
- Residence – Much less opacity total for navigation bar and residential management buttons.
- Books – Navigation menus and search have much less translucency.
- Health – Little change as a result of the app makes use of a darker background, however the buttons are a contact darker than earlier than.
- Contacts – Much less translucency for search.
- Information – Much less translucency for navigation bar and search.
- Translate – No change.
- Shortcuts – Much less translucency for navigation bar. Keyboard translucency stays the identical.
- Calculator – Historical past interface is extra opaque.
- Voice Memos – No change.
- Compass – No change.
- Passwords – Navigation bar and search interface misplaced translucency.
- Video games – Navigation bar is darker and fewer translucent.
- Preview – No change.
What do you consider the modifications that Apple made in ‌iOS 26‌ beta 3? Are you hoping for a number of the Liquid Glass design to be reimplemented, or do you favor the extra opaque look? Tell us within the feedback under.
