Apple’s iOS 26 update is designed to amp up the visual appeal in more ways than one. The new Liquid Glass Design, showcased across the interface, is a bold step into the future of mobile aesthetics. It’s fluid, modern, and instantly catches the eye.
But beneath its glossy surface lies a chaotic experience for many users. While iOS 26 brings innovation, it also introduces several pain points that make it feel like a work-in-progress rather than a polished upgrade. Here are the four reasons why iOS 26 is chaotic despite having ample cool ingredients.
Catchy But Demanding Liquid Glass Design
At the heart of iOS 26 is the new Liquid Glass Design—a shimmering, translucent UI that responds to light and motion. It’s undeniably beautiful and elevates the overall look of the OS. App interfaces, widgets, and menus now feel more alive and interactive. However, this design is not just a cosmetic change—it’s a resource-intensive visual overhaul. The eye candy comes at a cost.
Devices must continuously render real-time lighting and depth effects, demanding far more from the system’s GPU and memory. While this may not be a big deal for users on the latest iPhone 15 Pro or upcoming iPhone 16 models, older devices struggle to keep up.
Sluggish Performance on Relatively Older iPhone Models
Users on models like the iPhone 12 or even the 13 mini are reporting sluggish animations, delayed app launches, and unresponsive gestures. iOS 26 was clearly built with high-performance hardware in mind, and it shows.
Multitasking feels heavier, and even simple actions like pulling down Control Center have noticeable lag. Apple’s approach has always included strong legacy support, but iOS 26 pushes older hardware to its limits. For users not planning to upgrade anytime soon, this update feels more like a downgrade in daily usability.
Blurry, Distracting Visual Elements
Ironically, while Liquid Glass aims to deliver a sharper, more dynamic interface, many users find the visual effects blurry and distracting. The glassy overlays and shifting transparency often obscure underlying content rather than enhance it.
Notifications and buttons sometimes feel less readable, and the constant shimmer can be visually overwhelming. Instead of a clean, distraction-free interface, users are faced with an aesthetic that often gets in the way of functionality.
Only a Few Apps Are Optimized For Liquid Glass Design
Another problem lies in consistency. While Apple’s native apps showcase the new design language beautifully, most third-party apps haven’t caught up. This creates a jarring experience where one app looks ultra-modern and immersive, while another still uses flat, outdated UI elements.
The transition between apps feels like time travel—forward to the future, then suddenly back to the past. Until more developers adopt the Liquid Glass standards, the OS will continue to feel fragmented.
My Two Cents…
iOS 26 is a visually ambitious update that pushes design boundaries—but at the cost of performance, clarity, and consistency. For users with newer devices, it offers an exciting glimpse into Apple’s vision for the future. But for everyone else, it’s a mixed bag of style over substance. The Liquid Glass Design might be cool, but right now, it’s also incredibly chaotic.
