Apple is expected to continue using its Liquid Glass design language across upcoming operating system updates despite recent leadership changes within its design organization.
At the same time, delays in Apple’s next-generation version of Siri have pushed back the timeline of a planned smart home hub, while development of iOS 27 is introducing software adjustments designed to support a foldable iPhone.
The details were reported by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, outlining Apple’s current software priorities, artificial intelligence efforts, and future device plans.
Apple’s Liquid Glass design set to continue
Apple introduced the Liquid Glass interface as part of a broad visual redesign across its operating systems, adding translucent layers and glass-like visual effects to elements such as navigation bars, icons, widgets, and search interfaces.
The redesign was introduced during a period when Apple was facing increasing pressure to demonstrate progress in artificial intelligence, making the interface changes a central part of its software announcements while broader AI features were still under development.
Key details about Liquid Glass
- Introduced across operating systems including iOS 26 and macOS 26
- Inspired by the visual interface used in visionOS
- Applies glass-like transparency to navigation bars, icons, widgets, search fields, and system controls
- Apple highlighted the redesign during WWDC 2025 while its AI roadmap was still evolving
- Developers and users showed early interest in the updated interface
- Adoption of the latest Apple operating systems increased gradually after an initially slower rollout
- The design works most consistently on iPhone and iPad and continues to require refinement on Mac and Apple Watch
Questions about the future of the design emerged after Apple’s human interface chief Alan Dye left the company to join Meta, reportedly bringing several designers including deputy Billy Sorrentino.
However, the report notes that the Liquid Glass interface was developed through a multi-year effort involving a large group of designers and engineers, with Apple design leader Steve Lemay also closely involved in the project, making a major design shift unlikely in the near term.
Apple has already made adjustments to the interface through updates such as iOS 26.4, including options that reduce the intensity of the glass effect to improve readability.
Siri’s AI overhaul delays smart home hub launch
Delays in Apple’s next-generation version of Siri have also affected the company’s smart home plans. According to Mark Gurman, Apple has postponed the release of its planned smart home hub while development of the upgraded Siri platform continues.
iOS 27 prepares support for foldable iPhone
Apple is also developing software adjustments for a foldable iPhone. Updates planned for iOS 27 are expected to adapt the operating system when the device is unfolded and operating on a larger display.
Expected software changes for the foldable iPhone
- Applications may adopt layouts similar to iPad-style interfaces
- Navigation bars could appear along the left side of the screen when the device is unfolded
- Apple may introduce split-screen multitasking on the iPhone for the first time
- Two applications could run simultaneously on the larger internal display
- The layout behavior may resemble multitasking on devices such as the iPad mini
- The wider internal display is intended to support activities such as video playback and gaming
- Apple believes its design addresses narrow layouts used in some existing foldable phones
These adjustments are intended to ensure both Apple applications and third-party apps function properly on the larger foldable display.
Apple focusing on AI and software quality improvements
Apple’s software teams are also prioritizing improvements to artificial intelligence capabilities and overall system reliability. A major focus is the next-generation Siri platform, internally known as Campo, which aims to introduce more conversational interactions and improved contextual responses.
Apple is also working on integrating AI technologies from Gemini across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS while improving engineering quality across its operating systems. During development of iOS 26, Apple also tested a system-wide control that would allow users to adjust the intensity of the Liquid Glass effect, though engineering challenges prevented the feature from being implemented across the entire interface.
Outlook
Apple’s current roadmap suggests the company will continue refining its existing design language while expanding artificial intelligence capabilities and improving software performance. The Liquid Glass interface is expected to remain part of Apple’s operating systems while future updates such as iOS 27 prepare the platform for new device categories including foldable iPhones and smart home hardware.