Apple’s Liquid Glass: 12 Years in the Making

Apple Unveils Revolutionary ‘Liquid Glass’ Interface at WWDC 2025

Cupertino, CA – Apple has just revealed its groundbreaking new user interface, dubbed “Liquid Glass,” at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025. This marks the most significant design overhaul since 2013,promising a fresh and intuitive experience across Apple’s ecosystem.

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Tim Cook, CEO, greets participants at WWDC2025 in Cupertino, California, on September 9 (local time).

Introducing Apple’s liquid glass: A Seamless Experience

The ‘Liquid Glass‘ interface is designed to provide a unified experience across iPhones, iPads, and Macs.As the name suggests, the interface offers a transparent aesthetic, allowing users to see the background content subtly. the interaction feels fluid and natural, mimicking the movement of water.

Alongside the customary default and dark modes, a new “Glass” mode has been introduced for iPhone app icons. This mode strips away all colors, creating a fully transparent glass look. What do you think about this new aesthetic?

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IPhone screen with Apple Liquid Glass’s ‘Glass’ mode.

Version name Unification and AI Integration

Apple is streamlining its operating systems by unifying version numbers across all platforms. The latest iOS will be known as iOS 26,with WatchOS and TVOS also adopting version 26. This should help to create a more seamless experience across devices.

building on last year’s introduction, Apple Intelligence is being deeply integrated into various apps.Visual Intelligence allows AI to recognize images on the iPhone screen, enabling users to capture, search, and add items to their schedules effortlessly.

Real-time interpretation using AI has also been added. The content of conversations can be translated in real time.

Apple Foundation Model and Extended Platform Updates

To empower developers, Apple has introduced its own AI Apple Foundation model framework. This tool allows developers to leverage on-device AI capabilities when creating applications for Apple devices.

Updates are also rolling out for Mac OS, Watch OS, Vision OS, and iPad OS. the Vision Pro’s Persona app now creates more realistic user images, and users can watch movies or play games together. Support for separate controllers enhances the gaming experience on Vision Pro.

[Cupertino=Lee Deok-ju]

The Evolution Of Apple’s Design Language

Apple’s design philosophy has consistently aimed to blend aesthetics with functionality. From the skeuomorphic designs of early iOS to the flat design introduced in iOS 7,Apple has always strived to create user interfaces that are both visually appealing and easy to use. The new ‘Liquid Glass’ interface represents the latest evolution in this journey.

Consider Apple’s design journey:

Design Era	Key Characteristics	Notable Features
Skeuomorphic (Pre-iOS 7)	Mimicking real-world objects	Leather textures, realistic buttons
Flat Design (iOS 7-Present)	Clean, minimalist aesthetic	Simple icons, vibrant colors
Liquid glass (WWDC 2025)	Transparent, fluid interactions	Glass mode, AI integration

Each transition reflects Apple’s dedication to innovation and user-centric design.

Did You Know? Apple’s design changes frequently enough influence trends across the tech industry,setting new standards for user interface design. This makes each new release not just an update, but a potential game-changer.

pro Tip: Keep an eye on how developers leverage the Apple Foundation Model.This could lead to a new wave of innovative apps that take full advantage of on-device AI.

frequently Asked Questions about Apple’s Liquid Glass

• Q: What is Apple’s Liquid Glass interface?
  

  A: Liquid Glass is Apple’s new transparent interface for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, designed to give a soft, flowing feel, similar to water.

• Q: On which devices will Apple Liquid Glass be available?
  

  A: The liquid Glass interface will be available on major Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, and mac.

• Q: What new AI features were announced alongside the Apple Liquid Glass interface?
  

  A: apple introduced enhanced Apple Intelligence features, including visual intelligence for image recognition and real-time interpretation using AI.

• Q: How does the ‘glass’ mode in Apple’s Liquid Glass interface work?
  

  A: The ‘Glass’ mode removes all colors from the iPhone app icons, providing a transparent glass-like appearance.

• Q: What is the Apple foundation model framework for?
  

  A: The Apple Foundation model framework is designed to help developers create apps using on-device AI on Apple devices.

What are your initial thoughts on Apple’s new Liquid Glass interface? Share your opinions in the comments below!

Given Apple’s 12-year journey with Liquid Metal, what are the key challenges that have prevented wider adoption of this material in their product lineup beyond early use cases like the iPhone 3G SIM ejection tool?

Apple’s Liquid Glass: 12 Years in the Making – A Deep Dive

Apple’s pursuit of cutting-edge technology has often lead them down unconventional paths. One such endeavor is the lengthy development of “Liquid Glass,” a metallic glass initially patented by Apple in 2010. This article delves into the fascinating timeline of Liquid Glass, examining its science, evolution, and prospective integration within Apple’s growing product ecosystem. This article is a deep dive into Apple Liquid Metal‘s journey.

The Science Behind Liquid Glass: A Metallic Glass Revolution

Unlike conventional crystalline metals, liquid Glass, or more accurately, metallic glass, lacks a defined crystal structure. Rather,its atoms are arranged in a disordered,amorphous state,giving it unique properties.This amorphous structure offers several advantages.

• High Strength: Liquid Glass is substantially stronger than conventional metals.
• Excellent Elasticity: It can deform under stress and return to its original shape.
• Corrosion Resistance: Resists corrosion due to the lack of grain boundaries that can weaken material.
• High Hardness: provides resistance to wear and tear.

The alloy is created by rapidly cooling molten metal, preventing the formation of a crystalline structure. This rapid cooling process is a critical element in its production. The resulting material exhibits exceptional mechanical properties, making it a highly desirable candidate for various applications.Understanding the core science of amorphous metals is crucial to appreciating its potential.

Key Properties of Metallic Glass

Property	Description
Strength	Significantly higher tensile strength compared to steel.
Elasticity	High elastic limit; able to withstand significant deformation.
Corrosion Resistance	Excellent resistance to rust and chemical degradation.
Hardness	Exceptional scratch resistance.

These characteristics fueled Apple’s interest in material science, looking for a solution to strengthen products.

The 12-Year Journey: Licensing, Development, and Challenges

While Apple secured the initial Liquid Metal patent, the journey wasn’t straightforward. Apple licensed the intellectual property from a company called Liquidmetal Technologies. Acquiring this technology was the first step in a long and challenging road. The Apple Liquidmetal timeline involved navigating several hurdles.

1. Licensing Agreement (2010): Apple secured exclusive rights to use liquidmetal’s technology.
2. Limited Initial Implementations (2010-2015): Early applications were primarily confined to minor components, such as the SIM card tray ejection tool in the iPhone.
3. Manufacturing Hurdles: The process of molding and manufacturing liquid metal components was challenging and complex, requiring specialized expertise.
4. Material refinement: Finding a perfect alloy combination.

Initial usage was minimal, the company was seeking better solutions to the challenges surrounding metallic glass production. Development challenges and the search for appropriate manufacturing facilities contributed significantly to the delay in its broader application.

Evolution of Apple Liquid Metal Implementations

Product Launch	Implementation	notes
iPhone 3G SIM Eject Tool (2010)	Small Ejection Tool	Demonstrated the initial viability; a very low application.
Apple Watch (2015)	Some components, but not the entire body.	Limited use case
Apple Watch (Series 7)	No Longer Applicable	Apple stopped using Liquid Metal as of Series 7, but not officially.

Even with the technology ready, a significant obstacle involved scaling up production and optimizing manufacturing processes to make Liquid Metal components mass-producible within Apple’s extensive supply chain. Although there are limited public examples. This is primarily because it is extremely tough to find Liquid Metal components in production at large scale, and requires precise and specialised manufacturing.

Future Prospects: Potential Applications in a Product Ecosystem

The future of Liquid Glass within Apple looks promising. While the company has been careful about its implementation so far, there are promising applications, especially as their technologies evolve.

Potential future applications for liquid glass technology include:

• iPhone Design: Replacing the metal frame to enhance durability while also providing a more refined aesthetic.
• Apple Watch: Reintroducing it, making it stronger and more scratch-resistant.
• MacBook Design: Creating thinner and stronger chassis.
• Hinge designs.

These applications will require overcoming the manufacturing challenges and cost associated with Liquid Glass. Furthermore, Apple is actively researching and using other innovative materials that could further strengthen their product and the products of their suppliers.