What Apple’s Liquid Glass Teaches Us About UX, Accessibility, and Getting It Right First Time
Why even tech giants can’t afford to overlook usability—and why your business definitely shouldn’t.
The upcoming release of iOS 26 will introduce a striking new visual language: Liquid Glass. With ultra-translucent UI layers and a futuristic aesthetic, it signals one of the company’s boldest design evolutions in recent years.
But the boldness came with friction.
Some praised the sleek interface. Others flagged serious accessibility concerns. Within weeks, Apple rolled out refinements: darker blurs, high contrast modes, and more frosting.
This rapid iteration was a highly public example of a design truth many businesses overlook:
Bold ideas rarely land perfectly first time.
Apple likely conducted extensive internal user testing—but even with significant resources, some issues only surface at scale. Their ability to respond publicly and iterate quickly is a strength. For most businesses, however, launching without early validation and real-user feedback carries far greater risk: lost users, broken trust, and failed launches.
The Real Lesson: It’s Not About Apple. It’s About Avoiding the Same Mistake
While Apple’s Liquid Glass design drew the spotlight, the real value for business leaders lies in what came next. The swift pivot and iterative design changes offer a cautionary tale about pushing bold concepts without first testing them in real-world environments.
What makes this story valuable isn’t Apple’s design. It’s the lesson in what not to do.
Here’s the core problem:
- A bold change was introduced before real-world validation.
- Accessibility took a backseat to aesthetics.
- Iteration happened reactively, not proactively.
For most businesses, that approach is too risky. You don’t want to discover contrast issues after launch. You don’t want to watch adoption plummet because your design looks good but fails to function.
What you need instead is a process that front-loads validation, stress-tests usability, and ensures inclusivity from the very beginning.
Why UX and Accessibility Must Come First
In enterprise environments especially, users depend on clarity, predictability, and performance to get their jobs done. Even small friction points—like low contrast or unclear interactions—can lead to:
- Declining adoption
- Increased support queries
- Poor user trust
- Missed business outcomes
It’s not about checking a box. It’s about removing barriers. According to the WebAIM Million Report, only 4% of homepages meet full accessibility standards. And the Forrester ROI of UX study shows that every $1 invested in UX delivers $100 in return.
In other words: you can’t afford to get this wrong.
How to De-Risk Bold Ideas: MVP and MDP Thinking
So how do you bring bold ideas to life without gambling on the outcome?
Through a structured approach:
- MVP (Minimum Viable Product): Launch fast, validate core functionality, and test with real users.
- MDP (Minimum Desirable Product): Go further to ensure desirability, usability, and accessibility are baked in from day one.
Together, these models create a safety net for innovation. They give you room to experiment without putting product success at risk.
At Sonin, we use this approach to help clients:
- Identify the riskiest assumptions early
- Test before they invest heavily
- Build products that are usable, inclusive, and future-ready
This method isn’t just smart. It’s essential.
What You Can Learn from This
If you’re working on a product launch, redesign, or bold new direction, here are four practical lessons:
- Validate bold ideas before rollout
Don’t wait for live feedback. Run user tests, accessibility checks, and stakeholder reviews before launch.
- Design for clarity, not just aesthetics
Sleek doesn’t equal usable. Prioritise clear visual hierarchy, readable text, and accessible interactions.
- Build accessibility into your foundations
From contrast ratios to keyboard nav, inclusive design should be a baseline—not an afterthought.
- Use MVPs and MDPs to test and iterate safely
Structured, phased delivery gives you the space to learn fast and adapt without risk.
Sonin’s Approach: Getting It Right the First Time
At Sonin, we embed UX, accessibility, and validation into every stage of development. We never treat design as a layer on top—it’s foundational.
Our collaborative teams work across:
- UX & Product Design: Led by accessibility and behaviour principles
- Engineering & QA: Ensuring what’s designed is what’s delivered
- Project Delivery: Aligning everyone across user needs and business goals
We call it a scientific approach. Because it’s not just creative—it’s repeatable, strategic, and outcome-focused.
Final Thought
Apple’s Liquid Glass was a bold step. And while the company almost certainly tested the experience internally, the rollout still revealed the limits of aesthetics when not fully aligned with real-world usability and accessibility needs.
For businesses, the stakes are higher. The risk is greater. But so is the opportunity.
By learning from what went wrong, and investing in UX and accessibility from the start, you can launch with confidence—and build products that users want to use, from day one.
Looking to build something bold—but make sure it’s right?
We’ll help you validate, design, and deliver a product that performs where it matters most: in your users’ hands.