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The most important thing about this new design is that it differentiates itself from Android. Not super important in the U.S. where iPhone lock-in is pretty en

The most important thing about this new design is that it differentiates itself from Android. Not super important in the U.S. where iPhone lock-in is pretty endemic, but for the markets where there is competition, this bit of eye candy will make a big difference. Usability is secondary. The directive from on high was probably about creating a more visually distinctive UI which takes advantage of Apple hardware, thus making it harder to emulate. Think of the next YouTube review comparing devices. Liquid glass will stand out, regardless of its user experience.

Kwpolska 1y ago
Non-Apple flagships have powerful GPUs too. They could clone Liquid Glass easily, and I would expect some chinesium manufacturers to do so next year. If it would work as well as it does in the beta, you're right it would stand out, but in the negative sense.
omnee 1y ago
I agree with your reasoning, but I would add that customers also want to be easily distinguished from using an Android or a different device. Apple has long recognised the importance of this sign value and is acting accordingly.
khurs 1y ago
Apple and Androids relationship I would say is known and stable. I suspect they are more worried about HarmonyOS phones in China and other markets as Huawei are fierce competition. “Calculations based on data from the government-affiliated China Academy of Information and Communications Technology showed that April shipments of foreign-branded phones in China rose to 3.52 million units from 3.50 million a year earlier. Apple has faced increased competition from domestic rivals in China and has resorted to price cuts to stay competitive. Chinese e-commerce platforms were offering discounts of up to 2,530 yuan ($351) on Apple's latest iPhone 16 models in May.“ https://www.reuters.com/world/china/apples-iphone-sales-capture-top-spot-chinese-market-may-counterpoint-research-2025-06-13/ https://www.reuters.com/world/china/apples-iphone-sales-capt...

Kwpolska 1y ago

Non-Apple flagships have powerful GPUs too. They could clone Liquid Glass easily, and I would expect some chinesium manufacturers to do so next year. If it would work as well as it does in the beta, you're right it would stand out, but in the negative sense.

omnee 1y ago

I agree with your reasoning, but I would add that customers also want to be easily distinguished from using an Android or a different device. Apple has long recognised the importance of this sign value and is acting accordingly.

khurs 1y ago

Apple and Androids relationship I would say is known and stable. I suspect they are more worried about HarmonyOS phones in China and other markets as Huawei are fierce competition. “Calculations based on data from the government-affiliated China Academy of Information and Communications Technology showed that April shipments of foreign-branded phones in China rose to 3.52 million units from 3.50 million a year earlier. Apple has faced increased competition from domestic rivals in China and has resorted to price cuts to stay competitive. Chinese e-commerce platforms were offering discounts of up to 2,530 yuan ($351) on Apple's latest iPhone 16 models in May.“ https://www.reuters.com/world/china/apples-iphone-sales-capture-top-spot-chinese-market-may-counterpoint-research-2025-06-13/ https://www.reuters.com/world/china/apples-iphone-sales-capt...