I feel like a lot was left out of this article.
Here is what Gurman actually said:
“
Apple Inc.’s macOS 26 Tahoe has proven to be more controversial than its iPhone and iPad counterparts — and Apple is looking to address that.
Though the Mac software introduced the same Liquid Glass interface seen in iOS 26, the design language hasn’t translated as smoothly to the larger displays and different input methods of desktops and laptops. Part of the reason is that Liquid Glass was created with
more modern hardware in mind: the crisp OLED displays that are used on iPhones, some iPads and Apple Watches. The software also will be well-suited to the more glass-centric iPhone 20 coming in 2027.
Most Macs, in contrast, still rely on industrial designs introduced several years ago. The current look of the MacBook Air debuted in 2022, while the latest MacBook Pro and iMac designs date back to 2021. Macs also continue to use LCD displays, which don’t render translucency, shadows and glass effects as
effectively as OLED screens.
If you’ve used Tahoe, you’re likely familiar with some of the quirks — particularly the transparency effects and shadows that can make lists and other text-heavy areas harder to read. The issue is especially noticeable in Control Center, Finder, and apps with sidebars and dense lists. In several places, the new textures reduce text clarity or create interface confusion.
In the grand scheme of things, this problem isn’t catastrophic, and I still think Liquid Glass has been a net positive for the company despite some of the criticism online. In some ways, it’s a rare instance of Apple’s software feeling more futuristic than its hardware. Upcoming Mac releases — including a high-end
OLED touch-screen MacBook — should help the interface look far better over time.
But for now, Apple clearly needs to refine the experience for Mac users and make the software feel more polished. I’m told the company is preparing what people internally consider to be a “slight redesign” for macOS 27. With the next update, Apple aims to address the shadows and transparency quirks.
But Liquid Glass itself
isn’t going away, as I’ve said before. It’s simply being refined. I also expect iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 to include a range of interface tweaks, though nothing will be too dramatic. The goal is more of a cleanup and refinement effort aligned with the company’s wider push to polish its software this year.
In fact, the changes to macOS are meant to make Liquid Glass look the way Apple’s design team intended it to from the start. Last year’s operating systems didn’t necessarily suffer from design problems, I’m told, but rather a not-completely-baked implementation from Apple’s software engineering team.
The cleanup approach isn’t unusual for Apple. After the company redesigned iOS 7 with flatter-looking interface elements in 2013, it spent the following year refining the software with iOS 8. The iOS 7 changes were similarly significant, adding glass effects, more dramatic transparency and updated shadowing throughout the interface.
Beyond adjusting the look of Liquid Glass, Apple will focus on bug fixes, battery-life upgrades and performance improvements. This
refinement effort is one of two major undertakings for Apple’s “27” operating system releases this year — the other being to add more artificial intelligence features. The company will unveil the software at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on June 8.
The AI changes will center on Siri. Apple is introducing a new design and standalone app, and repositioning the technology as a more proactive assistant that helps users complete a wider range of tasks. The company is also working on a more chatbot-like interface, as well as deeper integration of Apple Intelligence features across new areas of the software.”
