Apple always aims to impress with its design choices, and the new iOS 26 update is no different. One of the big visual changes is the “Liquid Glass” effect applied to app icons, especially noticeable in dark mode. It’s meant to make everything look sleek, adding depth and a reflective quality. But this eye-catching feature isn’t charming everyone.
Instead of a smooth experience, some users are reporting real problems. People are complaining about feeling dizzy, nauseous, and seeing annoying optical illusions when using their iPhones. This wasn’t exactly the kind of “immersive” experience Apple was likely going for.
The Visual Trick That Backfired
The Liquid Glass design makes icons seem to have a wet, reflective surface. It gives them a sense of depth and a bit of a shine. Apple achieves this by putting a light reflection in the top-left corner of each icon. The clever part is that this reflection is supposed to move with the phone. Built-in sensors track how you tilt your device, and the reflection shifts accordingly. This makes the icon appear three-dimensional.
However, in real-world use, this neat trick doesn’t always work as intended. For many, the moving reflection creates an optical illusion. Icons can look slanted or crooked, as if they aren’t properly aligned on the screen. This is even more obvious when you look at screenshots, where the effect makes the whole interface seem unstable. Reports on Reddit confirm these issues, with users describing dizziness, nausea, and feeling disoriented while using their iPhones with iOS 26.
A Dividing Design Choice
How much this effect bothers someone seems to depend on a few things. Different lighting conditions can change how it looks. Also, if the phone’s power-saving mode is on, the effect might be less pronounced. But the discomfort is widespread enough to spark many arguments between iPhone and Android users online.
Some people don’t even notice the Liquid Glass effect. They find it moves naturally as they tilt their phone. Others feel strongly that Apple should have seen this problem coming. They believe there should be an option to turn the effect off.
This whole debate adds another chapter to the long-standing rivalry between iOS and Android. Android users, who often poke fun at iOS imperfections, see this as another example of a new feature that misses the mark. For Apple users, the discussion boils down to a key question: how do you balance eye-catching looks with making the phone easy and comfortable to use? It’s a challenge for the millions of people who have updated to iOS 26.