Apple’s ‘Liquid Glass’ Design Faces Criticism Over AI Strategy

With WWDC 2025 now behind us and the keynote dust settling, Apple’s sweeping “Liquid Glass” redesign and its cautious AI rollout are turning heads—and not all are impressed. Initially praised as the boldest visual refresh since iOS 7, the elegant translucency across iOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26 and visionOS 26 is now feeling, to some, like style over substance.

The backlash began on social media, where memes quickly portrayed Liquid Glass as a retro clone of Windows Vista’s Aero or just a fancy cosmetic layer. Critics argue that the visual shimmer feels flat without deeper functionality to match . Meanwhile, analysts and investors took notice: Apple’s stock dropped around 1–1.5%, erasing nearly $75 billion in market value, as the company admitted its next-generation Siri will now arrive in 2026 .

Despite unveiling sensible features—like live translation in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone, enhanced call screening and privacy-first audio tools—the AI improvements were seen as modest in light of rival launches. Apple’s delay in delivering the true “new Siri” stirred investor nerves and drew sharp comparisons to Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot, both of which continue pushing more ambitious AI integration.

Yet there’s nuance often missed in the ire. Apple’s decision to focus on on-device models, privacy-first architecture, and polished system-wide updates reflects a deliberate, long-term strategy. As the company rolls out features like real-time translation and “Genmoji” within its liquid design, it’s pushing a foundation that prioritizes user trust over hype.

Apple is laying groundwork for a cohesive, privacy-respecting ecosystem—but today’s unveiling speaks more to refinement than revolution. The true test will come if Cupertino accelerates feature depth in 2026, or risks being perceived as trailing in the AI arms race.