WWDC’s iOS 26 launch is the first step toward the ‘Liquid Glass’ iPhone

Macworld

In just a few hours, Apple will take the wraps off the new version of iOS during the WWDC25 keynote, and it won’t just have a new name (iOS 26). It’ll also reportedly introduce a completely new design language that permeates the entire product line and sets the stage for the first truly new iPhone in over a decade.

Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, writing in his weekly Power On newsletter, reports that the new interface, dubbed Liquid Glass, will “have the sheen and see-through visuals of a glassy surface.” The new look will incorporate “transparency and shine effects” throughout toolbars, apps, and controls, while bringing a “cohesive” interface across all of Apple’s devices.

According to Gurman, the Liquid Glass interface will impact hardware, too, most notably with the 20th anniversary iPhone coming in 2027. The new model, internally called “Glasswing,” will have curved glass on all sides with “extraordinarily slim bezels and no cutout section in the screen.” 

The 20th anniversary phone will reportedly launch in the time frame of the iPhone 19, a decade after the iPhone X. It’s not clear how Apple will choose to name the new phone, but it has several options: iPhone XX, iPhone 19 Ultra, or iPhone 28 after the new iOS year-based naming convention.

But whatever Apple calls it, you can look for clues in today’s iOS 26 launch to see what Apple’s next big iPhone redesign will look like. Be sure to follow along live at 10am PT in our WWDC live blog.