Musk, Carl Pei react to Apple's new Liquid Glass interface
What's the story
Apple has unveiled its latest design language, Liquid Glass, across all its software platforms.
The new aesthetic is part of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, tvOS 26, and watchOS 26.
It brings a translucent and responsive interface layer that adapts to light, color and user interaction.
The tech giant's move has drawn reactions from industry stalwarts like Elon Musk and Carl Pei.
Industry response
Musk said 'Cool' while Pei expressed his appreciation
Responding to Tim Cook's post about Liquid Glass on X, Musk simply said "Cool."
Pei, the co-founder of Nothing, was a bit more expressive. He tweeted his appreciation for the new design with a simple but enthusiastic "Liquid Glass... I kinda love it?"
Many users also raised concerns about Apple's new UI, noting that its transparent theme creates readability issues.
This problem becomes pronounced when UI elements are placed over a white background, making text and icons difficult to discern.
Design innovation
Liquid Glass design language
Liquid Glass is a major departure from Apple's previous design language. It was first revealed at WWDC 2025 and has been integrated into iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and more.
The new interface layer isn't just visually appealing but also enhances usability by adapting to system themes, wallpapers, and contexts.
Despite its complexity, Apple promises that it remains intuitive and familiar for users across devices.
User experience
How is Liquid Glass applied across iOS 26?
Liquid Glass is applied to core UI elements such as buttons, sidebars, and sliders. This creates a unified, fluid aesthetic across all Apple devices.
The design also brings glass-like effects and animations to iOS 26, including the dock and lock screen.
It even gives the camera app a glass feel with transparent menus and features that overlay on top of the camera feed.
Design adaptability
Apple is also updating its apps for Liquid Glass
Liquid Glass adapts to light and dark environments, creating a glass edge when you swipe up on the iOS 26 lock screen.
Apple is using it on buttons, switches, sliders, text, media controls and larger surfaces like tab bars and sidebars.
The company has also updated its apps for Liquid Glass and is releasing an updated set of APIs for developers to start updating their apps ahead of this new design update.