At WWDC 2025, Apple unveiled iOS 26 featuring a major visual revamp called Liquid Glass, boasting real-time rendering, dynamic reflections, and fluid animations. Described by Apple as its “most immersive and responsive UI yet,” the new interface draws on translucent layers, curved edges, and glass-like textures across core apps like Safari, FaceTime, Photos, and Music.
But instead of applause, the tech world responded with sarcasm.
Soon after the announcement, #Vista2.0 and #AeroRevival started trending on X, as users flooded timelines with side-by-side comparisons of Apple’s Liquid Glass and Windows Vista’s Aero Glass interface from 2007. Memes mocked Apple for rehashing old design trends, with one viral post reading, “So now my iPhone is running Vista?”
Reddit threads echoed the sentiment, with one user stating, “This looks like a glossier version of Aero with a curved iPhone twist. It’s not innovation — it’s nostalgia in disguise.”
Despite the criticism, Apple insists that Liquid Glass is more than just eye candy. According to the company, the new interface adapts intelligently to light and dark environments using real-time rendering, offering a more “alive, fluid, and ambient” experience.
Apple also points out that Liquid Glass continues a long lineage of transparent UI elements, from Aqua in Mac OS X (2001) to the Big Sur redesign in 2020. Critics, however, argue that while Apple may be refining the look, it’s still rooted in visual themes that Microsoft pioneered with Vista nearly two decades ago.
While social media mocks, developers are already preparing for what many call the biggest design overhaul since iOS 7. Apple is rolling out updated APIs for the new UI, urging developers to integrate Liquid Glass across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV platforms by late 2025.
However, the broader debate continues: Is Liquid Glass a modern evolution in user interface design, or simply Apple polishing up a page from Microsoft’s past?
As iOS 26 rolls out later this year, users will decide whether Liquid Glass marks a breakthrough in visual computing or just a glossy blast from the past.
Watch: Clockwork Revolution Trailer Drops At Xbox Games Showcase 2025, Release Date Still A Mystery
