Android 17 May Copy the Worst Factor About iOS 26

Android customers won’t have the ability to chuckle about Apple’s divisive Liquid Glass redesign for for much longer. According to inner builds seen by 9to5Google, Android 17 could also be factoring much more blur into the equation.

Specifically, it seems to be like Google is switching the backdrop on some menus from strong gentle or darkish backgrounds to—you guessed it—see-through ones, permitting you to see a part of the content material behind the menu. If you’re studying that and considering, “Golly, that sounds a lot like iOS 26’s Liquid Glass redesign,” that’s as a result of it does. Also, props for utilizing “golly,” that was very courageous of you—inner monologue or not.

This design shift could have an effect on fairly just a few components in Android 17, together with features of the UI like the amount bar, specifically the “pill-shaped container that houses the slider,” in line with 9to5Google, in addition to the mode switcher.

On the homescreen, 9to5Google says you’ll have the ability to see wallpaper and apps within the background behind menus, and within the case of different system components, like the amount panel and energy menu, customers will apparently additionally get a dose of blur with semi-transparent backdrops. 9to5Google additionally reviews that the blur might be decided partly by customers’ Dynamic Color theme, which units UI shade shades. It’s apparently unknown how a lot apps might be affected by the change, if in any respect.

Overall, the design shift seems like a a lot smaller visible leap in comparison with Apple’s bounce from iOS 18 to iOS 26, nevertheless it’s clear that Apple’s Liquid Glass language has rubbed off on rivals. If you’re a fan of Liquid Glass, I assume you can begin leaping for potential pleasure, however should you’re a fan of legibility, this won’t be the most effective rumor within the Android mill.

As a lot as Liquid Glass has been an fascinating and distinct visible departure from earlier iOS iterations, it’s clear (no pun meant) that Apple could have underestimated simply how disruptive semi-transparent components will be inside a UI—seems it’s form of, type of, essential to have the ability to see stuff should you’re to make use of software program correctly. Beauty is within the eye of the beholder, in fact, however seeing is within the eye of the, properly, eye, and there’s no denying that Liquid Glass makes seeing stuff in your display tougher.

Again, 9to5Google means that the Android 17 visible overhaul isn’t as drastic as earlier shifts, so that you don’t need to exit and purchase glasses preemptively, however you might need to brace for somewhat extra squinting. The excellent news is, if the visible tweak is as illegible as Liquid Glass was at first, you may look ahead to a number of incremental updates that mainly roll the entire thing again. For now, we’ll simply have to attend to see (or not see) if Android takes the Liquid Glass bait.