Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Apple is launching another tool to reduce the transparency of Liquid Glass with iOS 26.2 out now. With the update, users will be able to control the transparency of the lock screen clock. The release comes after an update that introduced a slider to control the opacity of Liquid Glass elements through the operating system, after user complaints that the changes made it difficult to read their iPhones or other Apple devices.
It was launched with iOS 26, New design language For Apple devices, it turns various interface elements such as buttons, sliders, and notifications semi-transparent. The elements also refract light, giving it the optical qualities of glass.
It aims to update Apple’s operating systems and perhaps prepare for a world in which the operating system migrates to AI-powered smart glasses. Liquid Glass received mixed reviews. Some found that the transparency made using their devices difficult, as key items, such as notifications or messages, became difficult to read Artist name in Apple Music. In response to user complaints, Apple released a Liquid Glass widget in iOS 26.1 that allowed users to return their interface to a more “frozen” appearance, if desired.
With the Watch Glass slider, Apple is once again rolling back the transparency of the Liquid Glass update, but in the form of another user-controlled customization feature, rather than a sweeping change.
These tweaks are notable because they indicate that Apple may not be 100% behind fixing the design as perfect as it is.
The timing of the change is also worth noting. Earlier this month, Apple confirmed that the design executive behind the revamped Liquid Glass was Alan Dye He left the company for Mita. Although it doesn’t appear that Dye has been ruled out, Apple has replaced him with longtime Apple designer Stephen Lemay.
Unlike Day, Lemay has spent his career designing interface and interaction, a skill set that’s in demand when it comes to, arguably, liquid glass repair.
iOS 26.2 brought other new features beyond the latest Liquid Glass tweaks.
As in the beta, users can now create AirDrop codes to share with people not in their contacts, allowing them to become a “known” contact on AirDrop for 30 days. This feature might make sense at work or in other scenarios where you need to share files or photos with someone not stored in your contacts.
Also in iOS 26.2, Reminders supports alerts; Apple News gains a Following tab in the bottom navigation bar along with other navigation changes; Apple Music adds offline lyrics; The Podcasts app adds AI-generated chapters to podcast episodes, a Podcast Mention feature for linking to other shows, and other changes.
Apple Watch owners will now also receive a Sleep Score based on how well they slept and whether they met their sleep goals.
Apple also released several important security updates across its major products on Friday, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TVs, and Apple Watches. Patch vulnerabilities used in an active hacking campaign.