Nielsen Norman Group Criticizes iOS 26 Liquid Glass Design for Usability Problems
By
ulrischa
7mo ago· 2 min readenInsight
70/100
Toasty
Bagelometer↗
Lightly toasted, lightly seasoned, mostly correct.
Score70TypeanalysisSentimentnegative
Summary
The Nielsen Norman Group, a respected UI/UX consulting firm, published a critical analysis of Apple's iOS 26 interface design. The article by Raluca Budiu specifically targets the 'Liquid Glass' design elements, arguing that Apple is prioritizing visual spectacle over actual usability. The piece suggests that Liquid Glass may be a distraction from iOS 26's failure to deliver promised AI features, and the author notes that the analysis aligns with their own frustrations about the operating system's usability issues.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledLiquid Glass Is Cracked, and Usability Suffers in iOS 26
Apple is prioritizing spectacle over usability
Liquid Glass is an attempt to distract customers from iOS 26's lack of long-promised AI features
The piece on Liquid Glass is scathing, and excellently summarizes many of my frustrations
On Friday, Raluca Budiu posted “Liquid Glass Is Cracked, and Usability Suffers in iOS 26” to the Nielsen Norman Group site. If the name isn’t familiar to you, the Nielsen Norman Group are UI/UX specialists who’ve been commenting insightfully about design
