Apple appears to be headed toward unifying its multiple operating systems via a design makeover, and the iPad will start looking more like a personal computer, according to presentations aired Monday at the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
“For the first time, we’re introducing a universal design across our platforms,” said Apple’s Vice President of Human Interface Design, Alan Dye. “This unified design language creates a more harmonious experience as we move between products while maintaining the qualities that make each unique.”
“The user interface across platforms has been redesigned with a ‘Liquid Glass’ aesthetic, emphasizing light, transparency, and depth, heavily influenced by the VisionOS UI,” explained Francisco Jeronimo, a vice president for IDC, a market research company based in Framingham, Mass.
“The look and feel — with more translucent menus, updated icons, and redesigned toolbars — brings Apple’s mobile, desktop, and XR environments closer together,” he told TechNewsWorld. “These changes bring a more visually appealing experience, more clarity to navigation and controls, and provide a more polished overall user experience.”
“Strategically, Apple appears to be leveraging a refreshed and unified user experience as a primary means to preserve ecosystem loyalty and stimulate hardware upgrades,” he said. “By making the experience more cohesive, it implicitly raises the friction for users considering a switch to competing platforms while offering a new aesthetic standard that could make Android interfaces appear dated.”
