iOS 19’s redesign could be dubbed ‘Liquid Glass’, and may pair perfectly with 2027’s iPhone

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
The iPhone 16 Pro Max (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

  • iOS 19's rumored redesign could be called 'Liquid Glass'
  • It might feature transparency, shine effects, and a glassy surface
  • This could set the stage for Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone in 2027, which will reportedly have a very glassy design

We’re now just hours away from WWDC 2025, where we’re expecting to hear all about iOS 19 (or iOS 26 as it now looks likely to be called) among other software. But ahead of that there are still new leaks rolling in, and you can follow along with these on our WWDC 2025 live blog. The latest leak though is a big one, as it sheds more light on how iOS 26 might look.

We’ve been hearing for a while now that Apple might be set to revamp iOS, with a new glass-like design, and now we’re learning more about what this might entail.

According to Apple tipster Mark Gurman, writing for Bloomberg, iOS 26 could have a new look dubbed ‘Liquid Glass’. This will apparently feature "sheen and see-through visuals of a glassy surface," with "transparency and shine effects" throughout.

This is reportedly set to be the biggest visual change for iOS since iOS 7, so given that Apple might not have anything major to show on the AI front, this could be a highlight of WWDC.

A new look for a new phone

Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW

2027's iPhones could look very different to the iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

However, according to Gurman this iOS redesign could also be intended to pair well with the company’s 20th anniversary iPhone, set to launch in 2027.

This we’ve also been hearing could be in for a redesign, and Gurman says it will have curved glass edges, tiny bezels, and no cut-out in the screen.

It’s a design that could really emphasize the phone’s glass, and indeed this iPhone is apparently being internally referred to as ‘Glasswing’, referencing a type of butterfly that has transparent wings. So its glassy design would probably fit well with the ‘Liquid Glass’ software we’re hearing about.

That’s still years away though, but if iOS 26 does have a Liquid Glass design then you’ll probably be able to get a look at the software side of things later today – and try it out for yourself soon.

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James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

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