However, while Liquid Glass has advocates among early adopters, it has also attracted some harsh critics, who say the new design language creates confusing clashes between layers that affect readability.

Apple's iOS 26 update turns album covers into full-screen animations that move while your music plays. With iOS 26, Apple Music users can tap the album art on the Lock Screen to expand it. If the track includes animated artwork, the image starts moving in real time.

Beta testing then gets underway, before a full release later in the year—typically September for iOS to coincide with the launch of the new iPhones. Then the next year, the same timetable repeats. At WWDC 2025,