Apple Liquid Glass Design: Building Modern iOS Apps That Look Native
The complete guide to Apple's revolutionary design language and the best iOS mobile app builders that help you create stunning native apps without coding
Founder, Natively
Finding the best iOS mobile app builder that creates apps matching Apple's design standards has never been more important. With the introduction of Liquid Glass at WWDC 2025, Apple has redefined what modern iOS apps should look and feel like. This guide explores Apple's new design language and how the best no code mobile app builder iOS platforms help you build premium native apps without writing a single line of code.
Key Takeaways
- Liquid Glass is Apple's biggest redesign since iOS 7 — translucent interfaces with dynamic blur, refraction, and fluid animations
- iOS holds 56.63% US market share — building native iOS apps reaches a premium, high-spending user base
- Expo SDK 54 now supports Liquid Glass — React Native apps can implement native glass effects
- AI app builders generate iOS-native code — no coding required to achieve professional results
- $1 invested in UX yields $100 return — proper iOS design significantly impacts app success
iOS App Development in 2026
Sources: Apple Official Report June 2025, Appinventiv iOS Guide 2026
What is Apple Liquid Glass Design?
Liquid Glass is Apple's unified design language announced at WWDC 2025 on June 9, 2025. It represents the most significant visual overhaul since iOS 7 in 2013, bringing a fluid, glass-like interface aesthetic across iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26.
The Liquid Glass Aesthetic
UI panels behave like physical glass—reflecting light, refracting background content, and creating a sense of depth that makes interfaces feel tangible and premium.
According to Apple's Human Interface Guidelines, Liquid Glass fundamentally reshapes the relationship between interface and content. The design system uses refined color palettes, bolder left-aligned typography, and concentricity to create a unified rhythm between hardware and software.
Dynamic Transparency
UI panels adapt to background content with real-time blur and color sampling
Light Refraction
Glass elements bend and distort light like physical optical materials
Fluid Motion
Spring-based physics animations create natural, responsive interactions
Key Design Elements of Liquid Glass
Understanding the core components of Liquid Glass is essential for anyone looking to build iOS apps that feel truly native. Here are the design elements that make iOS 26 apps stand out, as documented in Apple's What's New in Design.
Liquid Glass Design Elements
Explore the key visual components of Apple's design language
Core to Liquid Glass - creates depth and visual hierarchy
Uses UIVisualEffectView on iOS, CSS backdrop-filter on web
Build iOS apps with Liquid Glass design automatically with Natively
Start Building NowTechnical Foundation
Liquid Glass effects are powered by Metal 4 GPU acceleration, announced alongside the design system at WWDC 2025. This enables real-time transparency, reflection, and light interaction rendering on M1 chips and newer, maintaining 60fps even with complex visual effects.
Best iOS Mobile App Builders for Liquid Glass Design
Not all app builders can create apps that match Apple's design standards. When evaluating the best AI mobile app builder for iOS, consider whether they support native iOS patterns, modern design systems, and the new Liquid Glass aesthetic.
| Platform | Liquid Glass Support | True Native iOS | AI-Powered | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
NativelyRecommended | Expo SDK 54 | ✓ React Native | ✓ Full AI generation | $5/mo |
| FlutterFlow | Partial (Flutter) | ~ Flutter-based | ~ AI assist | $30/mo |
| Adalo | No | ✗ Webview | ✗ Templates only | $45/mo |
| Thunkable | No | ~ Hybrid | ✗ No | $25/mo |
| Glide | No | ✗ PWA only | ~ AI assist | $25/mo |
Data compiled from official platform documentation as of January 2026. Prices reflect individual/starter plans.
Why Native iOS Matters
- ✓Full access to device features (GPS, camera, haptics)
- ✓60fps performance with Metal GPU acceleration
- ✓Automatic Dark Mode and accessibility support
- ✓Liquid Glass effects and native animations
Problems with Webview Apps
- ✗No access to iOS native design components
- ✗Cannot implement Liquid Glass blur effects
- ✗Slower performance, higher battery usage
- ✗Apps feel "off" to iOS users
How to Build iOS Apps with Liquid Glass Design
Building iOS apps that incorporate Apple's Liquid Glass design requires either deep knowledge of Swift/SwiftUI or access to modern frameworks that support these features. According to Expo Documentation, Expo SDK 54 now provides native glass effect components that work directly with iOS's UIVisualEffectView.
Expo SDK 54 GlassEffect Component
Describe Your App
Tell the AI what iOS app you want to build
AI Generates Code
React Native + Expo SDK 54 with Liquid Glass
Preview on Device
Test native glass effects in real-time
Deploy to App Store
One-click submission via Expo Launch
Build iOS Apps with Liquid Glass Design Today
Natively uses Expo SDK 54 with built-in support for Apple's Liquid Glass design system. No coding required—just describe your app and get native iOS components automatically.
Design Approaches: Traditional vs AI-Powered
Building apps that follow Apple Human Interface Guidelines traditionally required months of design work and iOS development expertise. Modern AI-powered builders dramatically reduce this complexity.
1Traditional iOS Development
2AI-Powered Development
Industry Research Confirms
According to research compiled by SPDLoad, businesses using cross-platform development approaches reduce development time by up to 40% while maintaining consistent user experience across platforms. Combined with AI code generation, this represents a fundamental shift in how iOS apps are built.
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhat is Apple Liquid Glass design?
Liquid Glass is Apple's design language introduced at WWDC 2025 for iOS 26. It features translucent, glass-like interfaces with dynamic blur effects, light refraction, layered depth, and fluid animations that create a premium, modern aesthetic across all Apple platforms.
QWhat is the best iOS mobile app builder in 2026?
The best iOS mobile app builders in 2026 include Natively (AI-powered with Liquid Glass support via Expo SDK 54), FlutterFlow, and Adalo. Natively stands out for generating true native iOS apps with modern design systems from simple text descriptions, starting at $5/month.
QCan I build iOS apps without coding?
Yes, AI-powered no-code platforms like Natively allow you to build native iOS apps without writing code. Simply describe your app in plain English, and the AI generates production-ready React Native code with proper iOS design patterns and Liquid Glass styling.
QHow do I make my app look native on iOS?
To make apps look native on iOS, follow Apple Human Interface Guidelines: use SF Pro fonts, implement proper spacing (8-point grid), add translucent blur effects, use system colors that adapt to light/dark mode, and incorporate fluid spring animations. Tools like Natively with Expo SDK 54 handle this automatically.
QWhat is Expo SDK 54 and how does it support Liquid Glass?
Expo SDK 54 is the latest version of the React Native development framework, released with support for iOS 26 Liquid Glass design elements. It includes the GlassEffect component for native blur effects, new NativeTabs API for glass tab bars, and precompiled frameworks for faster builds.
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