Apple’s latest iPhone software release marks one of the biggest overhauls in the history of iOS, affecting both branding and design in a single stroke.[web:1] Instead of the expected iOS 19 label, Apple aligned its mobile platform with the calendar year, renaming it iOS 26 to match its broader ecosystem strategy across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other devices.[web:1] At the same time, Apple introduced a new interface aesthetic called Liquid Glass, a visually rich and highly transparent design language that now defines the look and feel of iOS 26 from the Home Screen to system apps.
From iOS 19 To iOS 26: A New Naming Era
The shift from iOS 19 to iOS 26 was more than a cosmetic renumbering; it was a deliberate move to create consistency across Apple’s platforms by tying software versions to their corresponding year.[web:1] This strategy makes it easier for users, developers, and enterprises to understand which generation of operating systems they are running, and it helps Apple present yearly platform updates as part of a unified family instead of isolated releases.
Internally, early development builds of what is now iOS 26 still carried the iOS 19 name, which has surfaced in leaks showing pre-release software running on prototype hardware.[web:1] These builds illustrate how Apple iterated on interface concepts before fully committing to the Liquid Glass direction, leaving behind traces of earlier design approaches and experimental flags buried in engineering tools.
Liquid Glass: Apple’s Bold New Design Language
Liquid Glass is Apple’s most dramatic iOS design update in years, characterized by transparent surfaces, layered depth, and fluid animations that give icons and interface elements a glass-like appearance.[web:1] Instead of flat, opaque panels, many parts of the system now blend with the background, offering a sense of motion and light refraction as users swipe between pages, open apps, or interact with widgets.
This aesthetic spans iPhone, iPad, and other Apple devices, reinforcing a unified visual identity across the ecosystem.[web:1] However, the emphasis on transparency and motion has also sparked controversy among users who preferred the cleaner, flatter look of iOS 18 and earlier versions, with some complaining about readability, distraction, or visual noise in everyday use.[web:1]
The Prototype iPhone 16 Pro Without Liquid Glass
Leaked images of an iPhone 16 Pro prototype running an early iOS 26 build—still labeled as iOS 19—offer a rare glimpse at what the platform might have looked like without Liquid Glass enabled.[web:1] On this device, the interface resembles iOS 18 much more closely, with flat icons and traditional non-translucent UI elements, despite internal settings indicating that Liquid Glass-related options were already present in the software.
The build reportedly had a “Sensitive UI” toggle turned on, a setting believed to be connected to enabling the Liquid Glass effects.[web:1] Yet in this configuration, no translucent layers or fluid visual behaviors appeared, suggesting that Apple had wired the underlying system hooks but kept the full design disabled on the prototype, likely for testing or secrecy reasons.
Inside Tools: Solarium, Sensitive UI, And Livability
Multiple reports link the Solarium codename directly to Liquid Glass, indicating that Solarium was the internal project name for the new design language while Sensitive UI represented the master switch that turns it on or off.[web:1] These options surfaced inside Apple’s internal Livability app, a tool used by engineers to control feature flags and experiment with in-development capabilities across different stages of the iOS roadmap.
In the leaked screenshots, the Livability app displayed menus covering milestones tied to WWDC 2025 along with longer-term targets for 2026 and 2027, showing which features were scheduled for specific seasons or major events.[web:1] Some entries referenced upcoming cycles without any flags yet assigned, hinting at placeholders for future updates and giving a rare peek into Apple’s long-term planning structure.
Evidence From Early iOS 26 (iOS 19) Devices
Additional clues about Liquid Glass and Sensitive UI emerged from a separate device, an iPhone 15 Pro Max running a build identified on-screen as iOS 19, even though it included several features later associated with iOS 26.[web:1] In that instance, Sensitive UI was turned off, and the interface again looked much closer to the classic iOS 18 style, which fueled speculation that Apple deliberately disabled the new design on some test units to reduce the risk of leaks.[web:1]
Despite the older visual appearance, this build reportedly included newer system-level additions like updated battery usage details in the Settings app, highlighting how Apple can selectively hide or show elements during development while still testing underlying functionality.[web:1] Together, these prototype sightings illustrate how Apple gradually layered Liquid Glass on top of a more conventional interface as the design neared final approval.
Hidden Tools: PurpleRestore And On-Device Restore Ideas
The same internal iOS 19/iOS 26 build also included a mobile version of PurpleRestore, a tool traditionally used within Apple to flash firmware and restore devices during development and servicing.[web:1] Seeing PurpleRestore appear as an app on an iPhone suggests that Apple has explored, or is exploring, ways to bring more flexible restore and recovery workflows directly onto consumer devices.[web:1]
Reports speculate that this may be related to a future capability allowing one iPhone to help restore another nearby iPhone without needing a Mac or PC, streamlining the recovery process for users.[web:1] While that feature has not yet been formally announced, the presence of a mobile PurpleRestore app in test builds indicates that Apple is experimenting with new approaches to setup, migration, and troubleshooting.
How iOS 26’s Look Compares To Earlier iOS Versions
| Version | Overall Style | Transparency Level | Icon Appearance | Notable Visual Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iOS 18 | Clean, relatively flat design with subtle depth | Limited, mostly in control center and blur effects | Simple, solid icons with clear borders | Clarity and familiarity over experimentation |
| Early iOS 19 build (prototype) | Very similar to iOS 18, with hidden flags | Minimal visible transparency despite Sensitive UI enabled | Flat icons, no Liquid Glass effects | Testing infrastructure without exposing full redesign |
| iOS 26 with Liquid Glass | Highly layered, glossy, and animation-heavy | Extensive transparency in icons, widgets, and panels | Translucent, reflective icons with glass-like finishes | Immersive visuals and cross-device design consistency |
Looking Ahead: iOS 26.4 And iOS 27
Early reports about iOS 27 suggest that Apple plans to prioritize performance, stability, and refinements to Liquid Glass rather than another radical visual overhaul.[web:1] This includes optimizing animations, improving responsiveness on older devices, and tuning transparency to reduce eye strain and enhance legibility without abandoning the new aesthetic.
Before iOS 27 arrives, Apple is expected to roll out a significant iOS 26.4 update, which is rumored to deliver a major upgrade to Siri alongside other refinements.[web:1] This release is anticipated to deepen the integration between the assistant and the rest of the system, while potentially smoothing out some of the rough edges in the first release of Liquid Glass, helping the controversial design language feel more polished in everyday use.
