You know that old saying that “when Apple changes, the market follows”? Well, it's true.
This time, in 2025, the company that transformed industrial design and digital interfaces has decided once again to break away from the visual path we've all been following. And now, the name of the game is Liquid Glass.
Unveiled at this year's WWDC, this new aesthetic arrived on the brand's devices as part of iOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and even the new look of watchOS. However, it goes far beyond “a pretty interface”: it could be the trigger for a shift in digital design, in how brands present themselves, and even in how marketing connects with audiences.
But what exactly is this Liquid Glass thing?
Picture a translucent look that really does resemble liquid glass. Reflections, depth, fluidity. Buttons that glow, icons that react to light, and menus with floating layers. In other words, everything has an almost physical feel, as if the elements on screen truly existed.
In other words, it's as if Apple were saying: enough with everything being so flat, we want more texture, more sensation, more presence.
Is the look beautiful? No doubt about it. However, not everyone found it practical. Some criticize its readability and the excess of reflections. Maybe that's exactly the point: the intention isn't just usability, but positioning.
A cyclical story (that you've seen before)
Anyone who's followed the design world for a while has already noticed:
In the 2000s, skeuomorphism dominated — interfaces that imitated real objects (textured icons, bookshelves, digital compasses).
Then came flat design, which cleaned everything up. Minimalist visuals, flat colors, no shadows or volume.
Now, in turn, we're seeing the birth (or perhaps the return) of a third path: neumorphism and its variations. It's exactly in this context that Liquid Glass comes in.
Designer and creator Gaveta, in a recent YouTube video, put it well:
“When everyone went flat, everyone ended up looking the same. No one stood out anymore. But now, Apple is coming back with texture, with glass, with physical sensations. So you can bet: soon there will be a flood of brands updating their visual identity.”
What does this have to do with marketing? Everything.
Because a brand is perception. And perception is also (and mainly) built through visuals. When the dominant aesthetic changes, consumer behavior changes along with it.
Apple's new look:
- Redefines what looks premium.
- Creates a new standard of “digital beauty.”
- And reignites the desire for unique sensory and visual experiences.
In other words: design has once again become a brand differentiation argument.
So now, what should brands do?
It's not about “rushing to imitate.” It's about understanding whether this new language makes sense for your positioning.
Maybe yes:
- If your brand is tech, futuristic, connected to innovation.
- If you want to refresh your digital presence and appear cutting-edge.
- If you're looking to stand out in a sea of increasingly similar designs.
Maybe not:
- If your differentiator is precisely the classic, the timeless, the simple.
- If Liquid Glass would create noise in your identity or make navigation harder.
But one thing is certain: completely ignoring this shift can also be a risk.
What's the agency's role now? Turning all of this into strategy
Here at On, we watch these shifts closely. That's because it's not just aesthetics, it's behavior, it's branding, it's digital presence strategy.
So, if you want to understand how this trend could (or couldn't) align with your brand, talk to us.
After all, design isn't just what you see, but also how you make your brand memorable.
Also read: Want to be good at Digital Marketing? Then it's time to stop being afraid of numbers
