By

Coman Go! One-Click Monopod: The Speed Revolution Photography Needs

Picture this: you’re tracking a subject through changing terrain, light shifting by the minute, and you need your monopod deployed in seconds, not minutes. Traditional monopods force you into a frustrating dance of twist-locks and adjustments that eat away at those perfect moments. The photography world has been waiting for someone to solve this workflow bottleneck, and that solution has finally arrived.

The Coman Go! M1 Series transforms everything you thought you knew about monopod efficiency. This isn’t just another incremental improvement, it’s a complete reimagining of how support equipment should work in real shooting scenarios. When every second counts and opportunities don’t wait for setup time, this monopod delivers the speed that modern photography demands.

Designer: Coman

Click Here to Buy Now:$199 $399 ($200 off). Hurry, only 29/200 left! Raised over $170,000.

At the heart of this revolution lies the one-click lifting system that deploys all four sections simultaneously with a single button press. Gone are the days of extending each section individually while your subject moves out of frame. The advanced engineering behind this mechanism allows photographers to achieve a full 1750mm extension in one fluid motion, keeping both hands free for camera operation and composition adjustments.

The forged carbon fiber handle represents a genuine breakthrough in monopod construction. This same material graces high-performance automotive applications, delivering exceptional strength while remaining surprisingly lightweight at just 1.4 kilograms total weight. Cold weather shoots become more comfortable too, as the carbon fiber stays warm to the touch, unlike traditional metal alternatives that can become uncomfortably cold.

Compact storage was clearly a priority during development, with the four-section design folding down to just 660mm for transport. Remove the foot support and it shrinks further to 512mm, fitting easily into camera bags alongside your existing gear. This portability doesn’t compromise strength either, as the robust construction confidently handles payloads up to 20 kilograms without hesitation.

The Easy-Release Module revolutionizes camera mounting with its single-press unlock system and integrated safety lock. Installation becomes effortless with compatible quick-release plates, requiring just a light press to secure your camera setup. The V5 gimbal head provides complete 360-degree horizontal rotation and ±90-degree pitch adjustment, with smooth hydraulic damping that responds precisely to your movements.

Three distinct versions cater to different shooting needs. The M1s features a dedicated 3/8-inch mount for direct gimbal connection, while the standard M1 includes both 1/4-inch mounting and a 3/8-inch adapter for maximum compatibility. The M1 Pro takes versatility further with its self-adapting dual-mount system that automatically accommodates both thread sizes without additional adapters.

The two-stage pedal system on the foot support showcases thoughtful engineering throughout. Light pressure releases the ball head angle limit for quick adjustments, while full depression switches to completely free movement. A second press returns everything to a vertical position, giving photographers instant control over stability and positioning without interrupting their shooting flow.

That 19cm steel foot support delivers impressive strength, testing 300% stronger than aluminum alternatives. This ultra-high-strength construction enables the monopod to confidently support heavy camera and lens combinations while maintaining perfect stability. The one-piece design eliminates potential failure points that could compromise reliability during critical shooting moments.

Professional photographers understand that equipment should enhance creativity, not limit it. The Coman Go! M1 Series delivers exactly that philosophy through innovative engineering that prioritizes speed, strength, and adaptability in equal measure. When split-second timing separates ordinary shots from extraordinary captures, this monopod ensures you’ll never miss another perfect moment again.

Click Here to Buy Now:$199 $399 ($200 off). Hurry, only 29/200 left! Raised over $170,000.

The post Coman Go! One-Click Monopod: The Speed Revolution Photography Needs first appeared on Yanko Design.

By

Innovative Cantilevered Tower Features Unique Floorplans, Expansive Terraces, & Modular Living Spaces

Out of the Box by MVRDV brings a new sense of spatial experimentation to residential living in Taipei’s Tianmu neighborhood. The tower rises 25 stories, each level composed of carefully arranged box-like forms that punctuate the skyline. This composition creates a variety of outdoor terraces and balconies, expanding the possibilities for private and communal space. The marble-clad grid provides a quiet counterpoint to the dynamic geometry, grounding the building in the context of its urban surroundings.

Each of the 93 apartments within the tower features a unique floor plan, so no two living spaces are quite the same. Residents find themselves engaging with layouts that respond directly to the shifting forms outside, making everyday routines more flexible. The cantilevered volumes extend living areas outwards, giving access to generous outdoor terraces that are rare in dense city environments. These terraces offer residents private moments with views over the city and distant Yangmingshan mountains.

Designer: MVRDV

The building’s boxy projections are not simply visual gestures; they create real, usable space both inside and out. The organization of volumes allows for cross-ventilation and natural light, making each apartment more comfortable through the seasons. The grid structure creates a sense of order and rhythm, yet the shifting boxes ensure that the building maintains a sense of playfulness and movement. This style of residential design encourages a more interactive relationship between architecture and daily life.

Community amenities are integrated at ground level and in the immediate surroundings. A landscaped area with a swimming pool becomes a social anchor for residents, while nearby shops receive thoughtful updates as part of the overall project. The design is keenly aware of its context along Zhongshan North Road, responding to both the flow of people and the established architectural language of the neighborhood. This sensitivity extends to the building’s integration with the street, where the tower invites activity and engagement.

Material choices reinforce the sense of minimalism and durability. The marble cladding lends a tactile quality to the exterior, while the open, airy interiors benefit from the abundance of daylight. The focus on outdoor space is especially relevant in the context of Taipei, where urban density often limits such opportunities. Here, terraces and balconies are not an afterthought but an essential component, extending the living environment and blurring the boundaries between inside and out.

Out of the Box serves as an example of how high-density housing can move beyond repetition and uniformity. By rethinking the arrangement of volumes and the relationship between private and communal space, MVRDV proposes a new template for urban living. The tower’s modular approach, flexible layouts, and generous outdoor spaces offer both utility and delight.

The post Innovative Cantilevered Tower Features Unique Floorplans, Expansive Terraces, & Modular Living Spaces first appeared on Yanko Design.

By

Only Ten Passionate Collectors will own the Road-legal Aston Martin Valkyrie LM Hypercar

The Aston Martin Valkyrie LM hypercar marks a significant evolution in the brand’s performance-focused engineering, fusing motorsport pedigree with the exclusivity of a highly limited production run. Developed as a tribute to the endurance racing legacy of Le Mans, this new hypercar is derived directly from the race-ready Valkyrie AMR Pro and refined with road-going intent while retaining uncompromised performance.

With production strictly limited to just ten units, the Valkyrie LM is one of the rarest road legal hypercars Aston Martin has ever announced. Every detail of the vehicle has been honed for aerodynamic efficiency and mechanical precision, channeling the spirit of Le Mans without adhering to any race homologation restrictions. It draws on Aston Martin’s technical partnership with Red Bull Advanced Technologies, retaining the core principles that shaped the original Valkyrie project while pushing its capabilities even further.

Designer: Aston Martin

The Valkyrie LM is powered by the same naturally aspirated 6.5-liter Cosworth V12 found in the AMR Pro. This high-revving engine delivers more than 1,000 horsepower and remains free of hybrid assistance, preserving the visceral, analog characteristics that define classic motorsport engineering. The car is expected to rev beyond 11,000 rpm, a rarity among road cars, offering a driving experience that closely mirrors that of a Le Mans prototype. The engine’s sound alone, crafted through acoustic precision, is a defining part of the Valkyrie LM’s identity.

Its chassis benefits from aggressive aerodynamic tuning, most visibly seen in the extended front splitter, deeper rear diffuser, and redesigned body panels—all developed using lessons from Aston Martin’s endurance racing programs. The car generates immense downforce, enabling high-speed stability and agile handling. Its exterior design remains unmistakably Valkyrie, with a teardrop-shaped cabin, sculpted surfaces, and dramatic proportions that prioritize airflow management. Lightweight carbon fiber construction is used extensively across the body and interior, contributing to both rigidity and performance.

The suspension system is derived from race-spec configurations, fine-tuned for high-speed cornering and track-level response. Despite its motorsport focus, the Valkyrie LM also incorporates advanced traction and braking systems, ensuring controllability under extreme loads. Track tires developed specifically for this car help deliver the necessary grip while withstanding the immense stress of sustained high-speed use.

Each unit will be tailored to the customer’s specifications, ensuring an entirely bespoke ownership experience. Aston Martin’s Q Division will oversee personalization, allowing buyers to collaborate closely with designers and engineers in crafting every detail—from livery and materials to seating and control interfaces. Though track-focused, the Valkyrie LM is expected to maintain usability in select private environments, such as closed-road events and curated racing experiences.

Aston Martin’s decision to build the Valkyrie LM is a nod to its ambition at Le Mans, where it plans to return with the Valkyrie race car in 2025. This limited-run hypercar reflects that racing commitment, offering a version of the machine that enthusiasts and collectors can own. With only ten to be made, the Valkyrie LM stands not just as a marvel of engineering, but as a symbol of the brand’s unfiltered vision of performance without compromise.

The post Only Ten Passionate Collectors will own the Road-legal Aston Martin Valkyrie LM Hypercar first appeared on Yanko Design.

By

1980s škoda favorit returns as electric car with ‘smiling’ face and animated headlights

Škoda Favorit comes back as a concept electric car

 

The Škoda Favorit from the 1980s makes a comeback as a concept electric car with a smiling front design and headlights that project different patterns. As part of the Icons Get a Makeover series, the concept model is one of the Škoda vehicles that goes through a refresh, one that retains the history while keeping all things modern. For a brief history, the Škoda Favorit hatchback came out in 1987, designed by Bertone. It was built for the streets and roads around the Eastern Bloc, a homage as well to the company’s headquarters in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic. 

 

Back then, it had a 1.3-liter engine and could run between 40 and 50 kW. It was in production up until 1994, when the Felicia model replaced it. Fast forward to 2025, Škoda taps designers Ljudmil Slavov and David Stingl to revive the Škoda Favorit, bringing it back as a concept and modern electric car. The design is a crossover between an SUV and a hatchback. It has a higher body structure, so there’s more space for the battery placement in the floor. Ljudmil Slavov says that he finds it challenging to simplify the already minimalistic shapes by Bertone. Instead of changing that, he evolves and expands them, making the overall frame and look modern rather than retro.

all images courtesy of Škoda, Ljudmil Slavov, David Stingl

 

 

Animated headlights with foldable covers

 

Škoda Favorit electric car’s face steers away a bit from the typical vehicle faces manufactured by the company. It’s an intention by the designer Ljudmil Slavov, adding that because of this, he’s able to maintain the Modern Solid style designed by Bertone for the original model from the 1980s. He has collaborated with his colleague David Stingl for the 3D sketches. His task is to give the Škoda Favorit electric car ‘volumetric proportions, shapes, and design elements so the result looks almost like a finished product with a Modern Solid expression,’ he says.

 

The result includes a shared handle for the doors, split in the middle so they open in different directions. There are also pairs of simpler wheels, with an embedded look and four sections resembling a fan. Then, the headlights. They reference the original model, but this time, the LED lights at the front and rear of the Škoda Favorit electric car can project different patterns, customized by the owner. They’re also framed by partially translucent covers, and their covers could be foldable, too. Because of these headlights, the face of the concept vehicle seems to smile. So far, the revived Škoda Favorit is a concept electric car. Aside from this, the design team has also conceived a racing concept vehicle inspired by the Favorit’s rally heritage and with prominent bumpers made of soft-touch material.

left: Modern Solid Favorit by Bertone; right: modern Favorit by Ljudmil Slavov and David Stingl

as part of the Icons Get a Makeover, the concept model is one of the Škoda vehicles that goes through a refresh

the design is a crossover between an SUV and a hatchback

there’s a shared handle for the doors, split in the middle so they open in different directions

Ljudmil Slavov (left) and David Stingl (right9, and their Škoda Favorit design behind them

original model of the vehicle, designed by Bertone

the Škoda Favorit hatchback came out in 1987

 

project info:

 

name: Favorit

company: Škoda | @skodagram

designers: Ljudmil Slavov, David Stingl | @lsd__esign, @davidstingl

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: matthew burgos | designboom

The post 1980s škoda favorit returns as electric car with ‘smiling’ face and animated headlights appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

By

watchOS 26: Workout Buddy AI and Liquid Glass Transform Apple Watch Experience

Apple Watch becomes your personal fitness coach through Workout Buddy, an AI-powered training companion that analyzes your complete fitness history to provide personalized motivation and real-time performance insights during exercise sessions. The feature leverages Apple Intelligence to process vast amounts of workout data including paces, distances, activity ring closures, and training loads to identify meaningful patterns and deliver contextually appropriate encouragement through dynamic, generative voice synthesis. The text-to-speech model translates analytical insights into motivational commentary using voice data from Apple Fitness+ trainers, ensuring appropriate energy, style, and tone for workout environments while offering multiple voice options to match personal preferences. Workout Buddy operates entirely on-device, maintaining complete privacy over sensitive health information while providing sophisticated coaching capabilities that adapt to individual fitness journeys and performance trends.

Intelligent Fitness Coaching Through Real-Time Analysis

Workout Buddy simultaneously gathers data from active exercise sessions and rapidly analyzes historical fitness information to identify meaningful insights that enhance motivation and performance awareness during critical workout moments. The system recognizes achievements like consecutive activity ring closures, personal records, and milestone accomplishments, celebrating progress through personalized commentary that acknowledges individual effort and dedication. Real-time pace analysis provides immediate feedback on performance variations, helping users understand their current effort levels relative to historical averages and recent training patterns while maintaining encouraging tone that supports rather than criticizes performance fluctuations.

The AI coaching extends beyond basic statistics to provide contextual encouragement that considers factors like recent workout frequency, seasonal training patterns, and personal fitness goals established through Apple Health integration. Post-workout summaries acknowledge effort and highlight achievements while providing comprehensive performance analysis including average pace, heart rate data, and earned awards that recognize significant milestones. The personalized approach ensures that motivation feels authentic rather than generic, addressing individual users by name and referencing specific accomplishments that demonstrate genuine understanding of personal fitness journeys.

Voice synthesis technology creates natural-sounding encouragement that feels conversational rather than robotic, using advanced text-to-speech models trained specifically for fitness applications to maintain appropriate energy levels throughout workout sessions. The multiple voice options enable users to select coaching styles that match personal preferences, whether preferring calm, steady encouragement or high-energy motivation that matches intense training sessions. The implementation ensures that AI coaching enhances rather than distracts from workout focus, providing valuable insights and motivation without overwhelming users with excessive commentary or inappropriate timing that could disrupt exercise rhythm.

The feature supports popular workout types including running, cycling, swimming, and strength training, with specialized commentary adapted to the unique characteristics and challenges of each exercise category. Integration with Apple Music enables seamless coordination between motivational coaching and workout playlists, ensuring that AI commentary complements rather than conflicts with music selection and rhythm. The system learns from user responses and workout completion patterns to refine coaching approaches over time, becoming more effective at providing motivation that resonates with individual preferences and training styles.

Enhanced Workout App Design and Media Integration

The completely redesigned Workout app layout prioritizes frequently used features including custom workout creation and race route functionality, making advanced training tools accessible through single taps rather than complex navigation hierarchies that previously created barriers to feature adoption. Custom workout creation enables users to design interval training sessions with specific work and recovery periods, while race route functionality allows comparison against previous performances on familiar courses, supporting competitive training approaches that motivate improvement through personal achievement tracking. The streamlined interface reduces complexity while maintaining access to comprehensive training tools that serious athletes require for structured workout planning.

Media integration brings music and podcast controls directly into the Workout app, eliminating the need to switch between applications during exercise sessions while providing intelligent content recommendations based on workout type and historical listening preferences. Apple Music integration can automatically select appropriate playlists based on planned workout intensity and duration, while manual selection options provide access to curated content that matches specific training goals or mood preferences. The seamless media control ensures that entertainment and motivation remain easily accessible without interrupting workout tracking or compromising the focused experience that effective training requires.

The new layout accommodates both casual fitness enthusiasts and serious athletes through progressive disclosure of advanced features that remain hidden until needed, preventing interface complexity from overwhelming users who prefer simple workout tracking while ensuring comprehensive functionality remains available for detailed training analysis. Quick access to frequently used features reduces interaction time during active workouts, enabling users to focus on exercise performance rather than device navigation while maintaining the comprehensive tracking capabilities that make Apple Watch valuable for fitness monitoring and improvement.

Smart Stack Intelligence and Proactive Notifications

Smart Stack prediction algorithms incorporate on-device data including points of interest, location information, and daily routine patterns to accurately anticipate features that provide immediate value in specific contexts, creating proactive experiences that feel helpful rather than intrusive. The system recognizes patterns like regular gym visits and automatically surfaces workout widgets when users arrive at fitness locations, while detecting remote locations with limited connectivity triggers backtrack functionality hints that support outdoor activities in areas where navigation assistance becomes critical for safety. The predictive capabilities reduce interaction requirements while ensuring relevant functionality appears precisely when needed most.

Environmental noise interpretation enables automatic volume adjustment for incoming calls and notifications, ensuring important communications remain audible in noisy environments while preventing disruptive alerts during quiet moments like meetings or sleep periods. The ambient sound analysis operates continuously without compromising battery life, using efficient audio processing algorithms that distinguish between different environmental contexts to optimize notification delivery timing and volume levels. This intelligent adaptation eliminates the need for manual volume adjustments while ensuring critical communications never get missed due to inappropriate audio settings for current surroundings.

The new wrist flick gesture provides convenient notification dismissal and call management without requiring precise touch interactions that can be challenging during exercise or when hands are occupied with other activities. The gesture recognition system distinguishes intentional wrist movements from accidental motions, ensuring reliable operation while preventing false activations that could disrupt normal watch usage patterns. Integration with existing double-tap functionality creates comprehensive gesture control options that accommodate different user preferences and usage scenarios while maintaining the intuitive interaction patterns that make Apple Watch accessible to users of all technical skill levels.

Enhanced Communication and Productivity Features

Messages app integration with Apple Intelligence brings live translation capabilities directly to the wrist, enabling seamless communication with contacts who speak different languages through simple wrist-raising gestures that activate translation functionality. Conversation backgrounds elevate the visual experience while contextual actions provide intelligent suggestions based on message content, such as location sharing when someone requests meeting information or quick responses that match conversation tone and context. The machine learning algorithms analyze communication patterns to suggest appropriate actions that feel natural rather than forced, enhancing rather than complicating message interactions.

Notes app availability on Apple Watch addresses the common need for quick information capture during moments when iPhone access isn’t convenient, enabling voice dictation or scribble input for rapid note creation that synchronizes seamlessly across all devices. The implementation prioritizes speed and simplicity while maintaining the comprehensive note organization features that users rely on for information management, ensuring that captured thoughts and reminders integrate smoothly into existing productivity workflows. Quick note viewing enables easy access to important information like restaurant recommendations or shopping lists without requiring iPhone retrieval in situations where discrete information access becomes valuable.

The enhanced notification system provides more granular control over alert timing and presentation, ensuring important communications receive appropriate attention while preventing unnecessary interruptions during focused activities or sleep periods. Smart notification grouping reduces visual clutter while maintaining easy access to individual messages and alerts, creating organized information presentation that supports rather than overwhelms daily communication management. The system learns from user interaction patterns to refine notification priorities over time, becoming more effective at distinguishing between urgent communications that require immediate attention and routine messages that can wait for convenient response opportunities.

Developer Platform Expansion and Third-Party Integration

New APIs enable third-party applications to leverage Smart Stack intelligence for contextual widget presentation, allowing specialized apps like ski tracking software to appear automatically when users arrive at mountain resorts through improved location detection capabilities. The enhanced location APIs provide more precise context awareness while maintaining privacy protections that prevent unauthorized tracking or data collection by third-party applications, ensuring that intelligent features enhance user experience without compromising personal information security. Developer tools simplify Smart Stack integration while providing granular control over widget behavior and appearance that maintains consistency with Apple’s design standards.

Control Center customization enables third-party apps like Dark Noise to add specialized controls for quick access to frequently used features without requiring full app launches that interrupt current activities or workflows. The custom control implementation maintains the responsive performance and visual consistency that users expect from system-level interfaces while enabling specialized functionality that enhances the utility of Apple Watch for specific use cases and professional applications. The developer framework ensures that third-party controls integrate seamlessly with existing system controls while providing the flexibility needed for innovative feature implementation.

The expanded developer platform creates opportunities for more sophisticated Apple Watch applications that leverage the enhanced hardware capabilities and software features introduced in watchOS 26, while maintaining the performance and battery life standards that users expect from wearable technology. Integration with Foundation Models Framework enables on-device AI processing for third-party applications, creating possibilities for intelligent features that operate without internet connectivity while preserving the privacy standards that define Apple’s platform approach. The comprehensive developer tools and documentation support innovation while ensuring that third-party applications maintain the quality and consistency that users associate with Apple Watch experiences.

The post watchOS 26: Workout Buddy AI and Liquid Glass Transform Apple Watch Experience first appeared on Yanko Design.

By

True Window Management Lands in iPadOS 26, Reshaping How You Use an iPad

Apple’s iPadOS 26 represents the most transformative update in iPad history, introducing a sophisticated windowing system that fundamentally reimagines tablet computing while maintaining the intuitive simplicity that defines the iPad experience for millions of users worldwide. The comprehensive update extends far beyond interface improvements to encompass professional-grade audio and video workflows, advanced file management capabilities, and seamless Apple Intelligence integration that transforms iPad into a legitimate desktop replacement for creative professionals and productivity-focused users who demand sophisticated computing capabilities without sacrificing the portability and touch-first interaction model that makes iPad uniquely versatile.

Revolutionary Windowing Architecture Transforms Professional Workflows

The re-architected windowing system maintains iPad’s signature full-screen simplicity for users who prefer traditional tablet interactions while introducing grab handles in the bottom right corner that enable fluid app resizing through intuitive touch gestures. Apps intelligently remember their previous size and position preferences, automatically reopening in customized configurations that adapt to individual workflow requirements without requiring manual setup or complex configuration processes that could intimidate casual users. Window controls in the top left corner expand on hover to reveal familiar close and minimize buttons that provide precise window management through both touch and trackpad interactions, ensuring consistent performance across different input modalities while maintaining the responsive feel that defines quality iPad experiences.

The minimize function stores windows as app icons that can be tapped to restore full functionality, creating an elegant solution for temporary window management that doesn’t clutter the workspace or compromise visual clarity during complex multitasking scenarios. Tiling functionality leverages iPad’s touch interface to enable effortless window arrangement through simple flick gestures toward screen edges, automatically snapping applications into organized layouts that maximize screen real estate utilization while maintaining visual clarity and functional accessibility. Advanced tiling options accessible through click-and-hold gestures provide quarter-screen arrangements and custom configurations that accommodate professional workflows requiring multiple applications simultaneously visible for reference, comparison, and cross-application content transfer.

The windowing system supports unlimited window creation for applications that benefit from multiple instances, enabling complex workflows like comparing multiple documents, referencing various web pages, or maintaining separate project contexts within the same application without losing focus or requiring constant navigation. Expose functionality provides comprehensive window overview through familiar swipe-up-and-hold gestures that spread all open windows across the display for quick visual identification and selection, enabling rapid navigation between multiple applications and documents without losing context or interrupting workflow momentum. Home screen integration allows users to peek at the home screen while maintaining all open windows, enabling quick app launches that seamlessly integrate with existing workspace configurations rather than disrupting carefully arranged window layouts.

The implementation ensures that traditional iPad simplicity remains accessible through gesture-based window minimization that clears the workspace for focused single-app usage while preserving complex multi-window arrangements for immediate restoration when needed. Professional users benefit from sophisticated window management that rivals desktop operating systems while maintaining the intuitive touch-first interaction model that makes iPad accessible to users of all technical skill levels.

Enhanced Files App and Professional Document Management

The completely redesigned Files app introduces desktop-class file management capabilities through an updated list view with resizable columns that provide detailed file information including creation dates, modification times, file sizes, and custom metadata that enables sophisticated organization and sorting options. Collapsible folder hierarchies enable efficient navigation through complex project structures while maintaining visual clarity and reducing cognitive load during file browsing sessions that involve multiple nested directories and diverse file types requiring different applications and workflows for optimal productivity. Custom folder colors and emoji icons synchronize seamlessly across all Apple devices, creating consistent visual organization systems that enhance productivity through immediate recognition of project categories, client work, and content types while maintaining hierarchical organization structure.

The implementation enables visual coding systems that transform file organization from purely functional necessity into expressive workspace design that reflects individual creative preferences and project organization methodologies while supporting collaborative workflows where multiple team members need to quickly identify and access shared resources. Advanced search capabilities leverage Apple Intelligence to provide contextual file discovery through natural language queries that understand project relationships and content associations beyond simple filename matching.

Professional Audio and Video Production Capabilities

Content creators gain unprecedented control over audio input through dedicated microphone selection interfaces that enable per-application audio source configuration, ensuring optimal recording quality for different content types and production requirements. The system extends to web-based applications, allowing creators to specify high-end microphones for platforms like Riverside while maintaining different audio configurations for video calls, podcasting, and music production workflows that demand specific acoustic characteristics and signal processing requirements. Voice isolation technology operates system-wide across all applications, eliminating ambient noise and environmental interference during recording sessions while preserving vocal clarity and tonal authenticity that maintains the natural character of human speech.

AirPods integration provides studio-quality vocal recording capabilities through improved tonal balance and timbre processing that authentically represents voice texture, transforming wireless earbuds into legitimate content creation tools for podcasters, musicians, and video creators who require professional audio quality without complex equipment setups. Remote recording functionality enables AirPods to control video recording through simple press-and-hold gestures, providing hands-free operation for content creators who need to maintain distance from their iPad while recording presentations, tutorials, or performance content. Local capture technology revolutionizes podcast and interview production by recording high-quality audio and video directly on iPad during video conferencing sessions, with echo cancellation ensuring clear separation between participants while maintaining broadcast-quality recordings for post-production editing and distribution.

Background task processing leverages Apple Silicon’s computational power to enable long-running exports, rendering operations, and data processing tasks that continue seamlessly while users work in other applications, with live activity indicators providing real-time progress monitoring and control. Professional applications like Shapr3D and DaVinci Resolve benefit from continuous processing capabilities that eliminate workflow interruptions traditionally associated with computationally intensive creative tasks, enabling true desktop-class productivity on iPad hardware.

Advanced Creative and Productivity Tools

Mathematical visualization receives significant enhancement through advanced 3D graphing capabilities and math nodes that enable complex mathematical modeling and visualization for educational, engineering, and scientific applications that require sophisticated computational tools. The Reed Pen introduces traditional calligraphy experiences optimized for Apple Pencil, providing authentic brush dynamics and ink flow simulation that appeals to artists, designers, and calligraphers who value traditional artistic techniques enhanced by digital precision and unlimited creative possibilities. The Journal app arrives on iPad with comprehensive Apple Pencil support, enabling handwritten entries, sketches, and multimedia journaling that combines text, images, and artistic expression in a unified digital notebook experience.

Integration with Apple Intelligence provides intelligent prompts, content suggestions, and organizational features that enhance personal reflection and creative documentation while maintaining privacy and security through on-device processing that protects personal thoughts and creative expressions from external access or data mining. Advanced productivity features include enhanced multitasking capabilities that enable seamless workflow transitions between creative applications, reference materials, and communication tools without losing context or interrupting creative momentum.

Universal Compatibility and Enhanced Communication Features

The windowing system architecture extends across the entire iPad lineup including iPad Mini, ensuring that advanced multitasking capabilities remain accessible to users regardless of device choice or budget constraints while maintaining performance standards that ensure consistent user experiences. Stage Manager integration and external display support provide seamless transitions between portable and desktop computing modes, enabling professional workflows that adapt to different work environments and presentation requirements without compromising functionality or user experience quality. Messages improvements including polls and enhanced group chat functionality transform iPad into a comprehensive communication hub that supports both personal and professional collaboration through features optimized for the larger display and enhanced input capabilities.

The new Phone app enables complete communication device functionality for users who prefer larger screens for video calls and contact management, while the new Games app consolidates gaming experiences while providing social features that enhance multiplayer gaming and friend connectivity through interfaces optimized for iPad’s display capabilities and processing power that supports both casual gaming experiences and intensive gaming sessions. Advanced accessibility features ensure that all new functionality remains usable across different physical capabilities and interaction preferences, maintaining Apple’s commitment to universal design principles that make technology accessible to users with diverse needs and requirements.

The post True Window Management Lands in iPadOS 26, Reshaping How You Use an iPad first appeared on Yanko Design.

By

Rippling Brick Facade Sculpture Gives Georgian Architecture A Playful Personality In London

London’s Charterhouse Square is the latest stage for Alex Chinneck’s playful vision, where the ordinary brick facade is transformed into a scene of unexpected movement. His installation, “A Week at the Knees,” captures the attention with a gesture both familiar and surreal. The classic Georgian townhouse, usually a symbol of order and tradition, appears to have folded its legs and taken a seat. This visual twist invites passersby to pause and reconsider what buildings can be, if only for a moment.

Chinneck’s sculpture stands over five meters tall and stretches more than thirteen meters wide, yet it feels approachable. The choice to echo the details of the surrounding Georgian architecture roots the work within its historic context. Brickwork, sash windows, and even cornices are reproduced with care, making the distortion of the building’s lower half feel all the more mischievous. From some angles, the illusion is so convincing that the facade almost seems to ripple like fabric, softening the expected rigidity of brick and mortar.

Designer: Alex Chinneck

What’s most compelling about “A Week at the Knees” is its seamless balance between humor and craftsmanship. The building’s slumped posture anthropomorphizes the architecture, giving it a sense of character and fatigue, as though it were a living participant in the city’s flow. By doing so, Chinneck blurs the line between art and the everyday, asking viewers to see a familiar structure in a new, almost tender light. The installation becomes more than a spectacle; it is a moment of empathy for the built environment.

Walking around the sculpture, one cannot help but experience a shift in perspective. The illusion works from every vantage point, encouraging exploration rather than passive observation. The rippling facade disrupts the linear language of the square, inviting curiosity and playfulness. It is a rare treat to see a public artwork that draws people in without demanding an explanation, content to offer delight on its terms.

This project is consistent with Chinneck’s broader body of work, which often manipulates the boundaries of architecture with wit and technical skill. Previous installations have seen buildings appear to melt, unzip, or levitate, always with a focus on surprise and accessibility. His art has a way of turning the city into a canvas for shared wonder, reminding us that even the most static forms can be reimagined.

For those with a love of architecture and innovative design, “A Week at the Knees” is a gentle provocation. It asks us to loosen our grip on the expected and to appreciate the possibilities that emerge when rules are bent. The piece demonstrates that minimal intervention, when executed with precision and vision, can yield maximum impact. Chinneck’s work helps us see the poetry in bricks and mortar, and for a brief time, it lets the city itself exhale.

The post Rippling Brick Facade Sculpture Gives Georgian Architecture A Playful Personality In London first appeared on Yanko Design.

By

iOS 26 Brings Liquid Glass Design and Enhanced CarPlay to iPhone

Apple’s iOS 26 introduces the Liquid Glass design language across iPhone interfaces while expanding CarPlay functionality through deeper automotive integration and enhanced communication features. The translucent material system creates dynamic, responsive interfaces that adapt to content and context, affecting everything from Lock Screen customization to in-car experiences. Craig Federighi noted that iOS 26 “shines with the gorgeous new design and meaningful improvements to the features users rely on every day, making iPhone even more helpful” while delivering enhanced Apple Intelligence capabilities that change how users communicate, navigate, and interact with their devices. The update supports iPhone models from iPhone 11 forward, ensuring broad compatibility with the advanced features that position iOS 26 as Apple’s next-generation mobile platform.

Liquid Glass Design Changes Visual Approach

The Liquid Glass material system uses advanced Metal rendering to create translucent surfaces that reflect and refract their surroundings, bringing greater focus to content while adding visual depth across controls, navigation elements, app icons, and widgets throughout the iOS interface. The implementation maintains smooth performance across different iPhone models while enabling dynamic adaptation to ambient lighting conditions, user preferences, and contextual requirements that improve usability without affecting system responsiveness or battery life.

Lock Screen personalization expands through spatial wallpapers that create 3D effects when users move their iPhone, while the time display adapts to available space within images for more dynamic presentations. The customization options extend to app icons and widgets that can adopt clear appearances, enabling users to create personalized Home Screen layouts that reflect individual preferences while maintaining functional clarity for daily use of essential applications and services.

Home Screen and app experiences benefit from streamlined design elements that prioritize content while maintaining access to frequently used functions through gesture interactions and improved visual hierarchy. The Camera app receives a simplified layout that helps users focus on capturing moments, while the Photos app features separate tabs for Library and Collections views that improve organization and discovery of personal media content. Safari’s redesigned interface enables web pages to flow from top to bottom of the screen, providing more content visibility while preserving access to essential browser functions including refresh, search, and navigation controls.

Apple Music, News, and Podcasts showcase the floating tab bar design that shrinks during content browsing to maximize screen space, then expands when users scroll back up to provide access to navigation and control functions. The adaptive interface behavior demonstrates how Liquid Glass principles enhance content consumption while maintaining functional accessibility for efficient navigation between different sections and features within media applications.

Apple Intelligence Integration Improves Communication

Live Translation capabilities integrate into Messages, FaceTime, and Phone applications, enabling real-time text and audio translation that facilitates communication across language barriers while maintaining privacy and security standards through on-device processing. The feature ensures that personal conversations remain private while delivering translation results that enable meaningful communication in diverse personal and professional contexts.

Visual Intelligence extends Apple Intelligence capabilities to iPhone screens, enabling users to search and take action on anything they’re viewing across applications through natural interaction patterns. Users can ask ChatGPT questions about on-screen content to learn more, search Google, Etsy, or other supported applications to find similar images and products, and automatically add events to calendars with key details including date, time, and location populated from visual content recognition. The integration changes how users interact with information displayed on their devices, creating workflows that bridge digital content with real-world actions and planning.

Enhanced Siri functionality provides more natural conversation patterns and improved contextual understanding that enables complex task completion through voice commands while maintaining accuracy and reliability for daily productivity and communication needs. The improvements extend across all iPhone models with Apple Intelligence support, ensuring broad accessibility to advanced AI-powered features that enhance device interaction patterns.

Phone and Messages Features Address Communication Management

Call Screening functionality provides intelligent filtering of unwanted calls while ensuring important communications receive appropriate priority, using machine learning algorithms that understand individual communication patterns and preferences to make filtering decisions that align with user priorities. The system automatically handles promotional calls, spam, and non-essential communications while maintaining access to calls from family members, emergency contacts, and business associates that require immediate attention.

Hold Assist feature changes the experience of waiting on hold by providing intelligent monitoring of call status and automatically alerting users when human representatives become available, enabling multitasking during extended wait periods without missing important connection opportunities. The unified Phone app layout improves navigation and functionality while maintaining simplicity that makes essential calling features easily accessible during urgent communication needs.

Messages app enhancements include screening tools that provide greater control over conversation lists and notification management, enabling users to focus on meaningful communications while filtering promotional messages and unwanted content. Custom backgrounds and poll creation capabilities add expressive elements to conversations, while Apple Intelligence integration suggests appropriate polls and generates unique backgrounds that fit conversation contexts through Image Playground technology. Group chat improvements include typing indicators, Apple Cash integration for financial transactions, and enhanced notification management that distinguishes between urgent communications requiring immediate attention and routine messages that can wait for convenient response timing.

CarPlay Ultra Expands Automotive Integration

CarPlay receives significant updates through CarPlay Ultra, bringing Liquid Glass design language and enhanced functionality to automotive environments while creating deeply integrated experiences that span multiple vehicle displays. The 600 million daily CarPlay sessions benefit from enhanced visual consistency that creates seamless transitions between iPhone and automotive environments while accommodating diverse vehicle types and display technologies.

The new compact view for incoming calls enables drivers to see caller information without missing key details like upcoming navigation directions, while Tapbacks and pinned conversations bring familiar messaging functionality to automotive environments with safety-optimized interaction patterns. Widgets and Live Activities provide real-time information access without requiring attention away from driving tasks, while the enhanced interface accommodates both light and dark modes based on ambient lighting conditions or user preferences.

CarPlay Ultra extends beyond traditional single-screen implementations to provide comprehensive vehicle integration that can span instrument clusters, center displays, and passenger screens while maintaining consistent visual presentation and functionality across different display types and sizes. The implementation leverages vehicle-specific capabilities including climate control integration, seat adjustment access, and advanced driver assistance system coordination while preserving Apple’s privacy and security standards. Enhanced connectivity features address modern communication needs through intelligent message prioritization that distinguishes between urgent communications requiring immediate attention and routine messages that can wait until driving concludes, while Apple Cash integration enables financial transactions for driving-related expenses including fuel purchases, parking fees, and toll payments through voice commands and simplified touch interactions optimized for vehicle operation.

Apple Music, Maps, and Wallet Receive Feature Updates

Apple Music introduces Lyrics Translation that helps users understand songs in foreign languages, while Lyrics Pronunciation enables singing along regardless of language familiarity through phonetic guidance that makes international music more accessible. AutoMix uses artificial intelligence to create seamless transitions between songs using time stretching and beat matching techniques that provide DJ-quality mixing for personalized listening experiences that adapt to user preferences and listening contexts.

Apple Maps gains Visited Places functionality that helps users remember locations they’ve been while maintaining end-to-end encryption that ensures location data cannot be accessed by Apple, providing privacy-protected location history that enhances navigation and discovery without compromising personal privacy. On-device intelligence enables better understanding of daily routes, presenting preferred navigation options and notifying users of delays while offering alternative routes that optimize travel time and efficiency.

Apple Wallet enhancements focus on everyday interactions through improved Apple Pay functionality that enables installment and rewards options for in-store purchases, while refreshed boarding passes provide Live Activities integration for real-time flight updates and convenient access to essential travel information including Maps navigation to airports and Find My integration for tracking important items during travel. The travel features streamline common travel scenarios while maintaining the security and privacy standards that define Apple Pay transactions.

Apple Games App and Additional System Features

Apple Games debuts as a gaming destination that provides unified access to all gaming content including Apple Arcade’s 200+ titles, personal game libraries, and social gaming features that help players discover new favorites and connect with friends across gaming experiences. The application serves as the primary way to experience Apple Arcade while providing enhanced discovery and social features that make gaming more engaging and accessible across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV platforms.

AirPods integration receives enhancements including Voice Isolation for studio-quality audio recording, camera remote functionality that enables photo and video capture through AirPods stem controls, and improved Active Noise Cancellation across AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 2 models. The enhanced audio features provide professional-quality recording capabilities while maintaining the convenience and portability that make AirPods essential accessories for content creation and communication. Parental controls expand with easier Child Account creation and management, enhanced Communication Limits that include parental approvals for contact requests, content filtering in FaceTime calls and Shared Albums, and flexible app download permissions that enable parents to grant exceptions for age-appropriate content while maintaining overall safety standards.

Safari privacy enhancements include advanced fingerprinting protection that extends to all browsing by default, while accessibility features introduce Accessibility Reader for customized systemwide reading experiences and Braille Access interface for iPhone devices with connected braille displays, ensuring that iOS 26 benefits are accessible to users with diverse needs and preferences.

Availability and Device Support

iOS 26 features become available for testing through the Apple Developer Program starting immediately, with public beta access through the Apple Beta Software Program beginning next month and general availability scheduled for fall 2025 as a free software update for iPhone 11 and later models. Apple Intelligence features require supported devices including all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac models with M1 or later processors that have Apple Intelligence enabled with device language set to supported languages including English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese (simplified). Additional language support continues expanding throughout 2025 with Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese planned for later release, while features remain subject to change and may vary by region due to local laws and regulations.

The post iOS 26 Brings Liquid Glass Design and Enhanced CarPlay to iPhone first appeared on Yanko Design.

By

WWDC 2025: Apple Unveils Liquid Glass Design Revolution and Foundation Models Framework

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference 2025 delivered the company’s most ambitious software transformation since iOS 7, introducing a universal design language called “Liquid Glass” that spans all platforms while opening unprecedented developer access to on-device artificial intelligence. The keynote presentation, led by Craig Federighi at Apple Park, revealed a comprehensive reimagining of the user experience that blurs the boundaries between hardware and software through dynamic, translucent materials that respond to content and context. The announcement represents what Apple describes as “the kind of project that only comes along about once per decade,” fundamentally reshaping how users interact with their devices across the entire ecosystem. Beyond the visual transformation, Apple introduced the Foundation Models Framework, granting developers direct access to the large language models powering Apple Intelligence, potentially igniting what the company calls “a whole new wave of intelligent experiences” in third-party applications.

The presentation opened with a promotional segment for Apple’s upcoming F1 film, premiering in theaters June 27, before transitioning into the core platform announcements that will define Apple’s software direction through 2026. Tim Cook emphasized the company’s continued focus on delivering premium entertainment content, noting that Apple TV Plus has maintained its position as the number one quality programming service for four consecutive years. The strategic positioning of entertainment content alongside developer tools underscores Apple’s broader ecosystem approach, where content creation and consumption tools work in harmony to create compelling user experiences.

Universal Design Language Transforms Platform Experience

The introduction of Liquid Glass represents Apple’s most comprehensive design overhaul since the flat design revolution of iOS 7, creating a unified visual language that maintains platform-specific characteristics while establishing unprecedented consistency across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. The new material system draws inspiration from the physicality and richness of visionOS, challenging Apple’s design teams to make purely digital interfaces feel natural and alive through dynamic responses to touch and movement. Liquid Glass exhibits the optical qualities of real glass while maintaining a fluidity that Apple claims only its hardware and software integration can achieve, transforming based on content context and user interaction patterns.

The material’s translucent properties intelligently adapt between light and dark environments, functioning as a distinct layer that sits above applications while morphing dynamically as users navigate between views and access additional options. This responsive behavior extends beyond static visual elements to encompass interactive components that appear from tap locations, expand into scannable lists during scrolling, and shrink to elevate foreground content before instantly returning when users scroll upward. The design philosophy emphasizes content prioritization while maintaining intuitive navigation patterns that feel familiar despite their revolutionary visual presentation.

Apple’s implementation of Liquid Glass extends to fundamental interface elements including app icons, which now feature multiple layers of the translucent material that adapt to dark mode, light mode, colorful tints, or an entirely new clear aesthetic. The dock, widgets, and system controls have been redesigned to incorporate the dynamic material properties, creating personalization opportunities that were previously unavailable within Apple’s controlled design environment. The company’s attention to detail manifests in elements that have been specifically redesigned to align with the rounded corners of modern Apple hardware, establishing greater harmony between software presentation and physical device characteristics.

iOS 26 Introduces Intelligent Interface Adaptations

The lock screen experience in iOS 26 showcases the practical applications of Liquid Glass through time displays and controls that dynamically adapt to available space within user-selected wallpapers. Apple’s San Francisco typeface has been uniquely engineered to scale weight, width, and height of individual numerals, allowing the time display to nestle naturally into photographic scenes while maintaining optimal readability across diverse visual contexts. The system preserves the most compelling portions of personal photos as new information arrives, ensuring that incoming messages or emails don’t obscure important visual elements within the wallpaper composition.

Advanced computer vision techniques running on Apple Silicon generate spatial scenes from two-dimensional photographs, creating three-dimensional effects that respond to iPhone movement and bring personal memories to life through subtle parallax animations. The spatial wallpaper feature represents a significant advancement in on-device image processing, transforming static photographs into dynamic, immersive experiences that maintain the emotional connection users have with their personal imagery. Music playback integration introduces gorgeous album artwork presentations that interact beautifully with the glass-like playback controls, creating a cohesive aesthetic experience that extends Apple’s design philosophy into entertainment consumption.

The home screen transition from the lock screen has been enhanced with a beautiful glass edge effect that provides tactile feedback and visual continuity as users swipe upward to access their applications. App icons crafted from Liquid Glass maintain instant recognizability while feeling fresh and contemporary, adapting seamlessly to user preferences for dark mode operation or the new clear aesthetic that emphasizes content over chrome. The dynamic adaptation capabilities ensure that interface elements remain functional and beautiful regardless of user customization choices or environmental lighting conditions.

Camera and Photos Applications Receive Comprehensive Updates

iOS 26 introduces a streamlined camera interface that prioritizes the two most frequently used capture modes while maintaining easy access to advanced features through intuitive gesture controls. The simplified design elevates photo and video capture while placing powerful features like cinematic mode and portrait mode just a swipe away, reducing the complexity that can interfere with spontaneous photography moments. Settings access has been redesigned with an upward swipe gesture that reveals aspect ratio controls, timers, and format options, while a single tap makes all capture options visible for quick transitions to 4K recording when detail preservation becomes critical.

The Photos application benefits from the new design language through separate tabs for Library and Collections, restoring the tab-based navigation that many users preferred while incorporating modern visual elements that enhance content discovery. The Collections tab provides organized access to favorites, albums, and search functionality, while the stunning three-dimensional effects available in lock screen wallpapers extend to the Photos app, allowing any image to be experienced as an incredible spatial scene. This integration demonstrates Apple’s commitment to creating cohesive experiences that leverage advanced processing capabilities across multiple applications and use cases.

The spatial photo experience represents a significant advancement in personal media consumption, transforming static memories into dynamic, immersive presentations that respond to device movement and user interaction. The computer vision algorithms running entirely on-device ensure that personal photos remain private while enabling sophisticated visual effects that were previously impossible without cloud processing. The seamless integration between camera capture, photo organization, and spatial presentation creates a comprehensive media workflow that enhances the emotional impact of personal photography.

Safari and FaceTime Embrace Immersive Design Principles

Safari’s redesign in iOS 26 creates a more immersive web browsing experience through edge-to-edge page flow that extends content to the very bottom of the screen, maximizing visible content area while maintaining essential navigation controls. The tab bar has been redesigned to float above web pages, surfacing frequently used actions like search and refresh while allowing Liquid Glass controls to fluidly reveal additional options as users scroll through content. The dynamic tab bar shrinks automatically to prioritize web content, ensuring that Apple’s interface elements never overshadow the websites and applications that users are actively engaging with.

The implementation of floating controls extends to FaceTime, where the most important call management options now appear on the bottom right of the screen and seamlessly recede when they’re not needed, reducing visual clutter during video conversations. The FaceTime landing page has been completely reimagined as a space that celebrates users’ closest relationships through beautiful, personalized contact posters that showcase the people who matter most. Video messages play automatically as users scroll through their contacts, providing previews of special moments that might have been missed during busy periods.

These interface improvements demonstrate Apple’s understanding that communication applications require both functional efficiency and emotional resonance, balancing technical capabilities with human connection needs. The personalized contact posters and automatic video message previews create opportunities for spontaneous interaction while maintaining the privacy and control that users expect from Apple’s communication platforms. The seamless integration of Liquid Glass elements ensures that these enhanced features feel natural and intuitive rather than overwhelming or distracting.

Foundation Models Framework Opens AI Development Possibilities

Apple’s introduction of the Foundation Models Framework represents a paradigm shift in mobile artificial intelligence development, providing developers with direct access to the large language models that power Apple Intelligence without requiring cloud connectivity or incurring API costs. The framework enables powerful, fast, privacy-focused intelligence that operates entirely on-device, opening possibilities for intelligent experiences that function regardless of internet connectivity. This approach aligns with Apple’s broader privacy philosophy while democratizing access to sophisticated AI capabilities that were previously available only to the largest technology companies.

The practical applications demonstrated during the keynote illustrate the framework’s potential impact across diverse use cases, from educational applications like Kahoot creating personalized quizzes from user notes to outdoor recreation apps like AllTrails suggesting hiking options based on natural language descriptions while completely offline. These examples showcase how on-device AI processing can enhance user experiences without compromising privacy or requiring constant internet connectivity, particularly valuable for users in remote locations or those concerned about data sharing with third-party services.

The elimination of cloud API costs removes a significant barrier to AI integration for smaller developers and startups, potentially accelerating innovation in intelligent application features across the App Store ecosystem. By providing direct access to the same language models that power Apple’s own features, the company is enabling a level of AI sophistication in third-party applications that was previously impossible on mobile platforms. The framework’s offline capabilities ensure that intelligent features remain functional regardless of network conditions, creating more reliable and responsive user experiences.

Platform Unification Through Version 26 Numbering

Apple’s decision to unify version numbers across all platforms represents more than a naming convention change, signaling a fundamental shift toward synchronized development cycles and feature parity across the ecosystem. The adoption of version 26 for all fall releases that will power devices through 2026 creates clearer expectations for users and developers while simplifying the communication of feature availability across different Apple platforms. This unification supports the universal design language implementation by ensuring that Liquid Glass elements and interaction patterns remain consistent regardless of which Apple device users are operating.

The synchronized versioning approach enables more cohesive feature rollouts and reduces the fragmentation that can occur when different platforms operate on disparate development timelines. Users moving between iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro will encounter familiar interface elements and interaction patterns, reducing the learning curve associated with multi-device workflows. For developers, the unified versioning simplifies testing and deployment processes while ensuring that applications can leverage similar capabilities across the entire Apple ecosystem.

The strategic timing of this unification coincides with the introduction of the Foundation Models Framework and universal design language, creating a comprehensive platform refresh that positions Apple for the next era of computing. The company’s emphasis on consistency while maintaining platform-specific strengths demonstrates a mature approach to ecosystem development that prioritizes user experience over technical convenience.

Developer Community and Ecosystem Impact

The WWDC 2025 announcements demonstrate Apple’s continued commitment to empowering its global developer community through advanced tools and technologies that enable innovative application development. The combination of the Foundation Models Framework and universal design language provides developers with both the technical capabilities and visual consistency needed to create compelling experiences that feel native to Apple’s ecosystem. The emphasis on privacy-preserving AI development aligns with developer and user expectations while enabling sophisticated features that were previously impossible on mobile platforms.

The presentation’s focus on developer empowerment through over 100 technical sessions and hands-on labs led by Apple engineers reinforces the company’s understanding that platform success depends on third-party innovation and creativity. By providing direct access to the same AI models and design frameworks used in Apple’s own applications, the company is enabling a level of feature sophistication that could significantly differentiate iOS applications from competitors on other platforms.

The free, online availability of WWDC content ensures that developers worldwide can access these new capabilities regardless of geographic location or economic circumstances, democratizing access to cutting-edge development tools and techniques. This approach supports Apple’s broader ecosystem strategy by encouraging innovation and adoption across diverse markets and developer communities.

The post WWDC 2025: Apple Unveils Liquid Glass Design Revolution and Foundation Models Framework first appeared on Yanko Design.

By

apple unveils liquid glass interface that makes apps and buttons on iOS 26 transparent

Apple liquid glass UI makes the button see-through

 

During the WWDC25, Apple introduces the Liquid Glass UI for iOS 26, a software redesign that makes the apps, buttons, and toolbars see-through. Planned for a September 2025 release, the redesign also celebrates iPhone’s 20th anniversary, even if it’s in 2027. The look is present in iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and CarPlay to make all the Apple devices uniform. Even Safari and Camera apps will be transparent. Reports say that the brand plans to demonstrate the Liquid Glass UI during the WWDC25 at Apple Park HQ in Cupertino, California, on June 9th, 2025.

 

So far, the Apple Liquid Glass UI uses clear toolbars, and the controls look shiny. The apps and buttons have a ‘glassy’ look as if they were made from polished glass. The home screen icons have round edges too with a semi-translucent background. In the snippet that the company released, the icons may only have spurts of vibrant colors, unlike the other iOS updates. This means only parts of the icons have rainbow-esque shades, from yellow to pink, and the rest of the design is minimal and ‘see-through.’

all images courtesy of Apple

 

 

A change from the last iOS7 update in 2013

 

The Apple Liquid Glass UI is a significant visual change for the brand. The last time they redesigned their software and look was in 2013 with iOS 7. Here, they went from using real-life design to ‘flat’ designs with bright colors. The upcoming UI, then, is a change, but an expected one, given that the brand aims for ‘clarity’ in its designs. The Apple Liquid Glass UI shares the style of the VisionOS. The buttons and toolbars move like liquid or as if they were floating, and the elements can change their size and adapt to the surroundings and backgrounds. 

 

It’s not just blurring or making the background transparent, as the glass elements take on colors from the interface. These floating icons then have the same shading or palette as the wallpaper or backdrop since they’re see-through. The theme of glass in the UI isn’t new to the brand, either. Apple has already filed patents dating back to 2014 on all-glass iPhones, Apple Watches, and even Macs. So far, there are no updates yet on the rollout of the Apple Liquid Glass UI. This is a developing story. designboom expects to update the story in time for the brand’s announcements.

during the WWDC25, Apple introduces the Liquid Glass UI for iOS 26

the apps and buttons ‘float’ over the backdrop

the transparency allows the new background to mimic the surroundings of the buttons and controls

the update is present across all Apple devices

detailed view of the interface

the software redesign makes the apps, buttons, and toolbars see-through with partial coloring

the design is a change from the bright colors of the previous iOS

 

project info:

 

name: Liquid Glass UI

brand: Apple | @apple

The post apple unveils liquid glass interface that makes apps and buttons on iOS 26 transparent appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.