Are people avoiding iOS 26 because of Liquid Glass? It’s complicated.

Recent discussions surrounding the adoption rates of Apple's iOS 26 have sparked considerable interest. Reports indicate that the latest update is being embraced at significantly lower levels compared to previous versions. While the reasons behind this hesitance remain unclear, many are speculating that users are steering clear of the new Liquid Glass interface. Statcounter's January data reveals that only 16.6 percent of devices are currently running iOS 26, a stark contrast to the approximately 70 percent adoption rate for iOS 18. Notably, the iOS 18.7 update, introduced simultaneously with iOS 26.0 in September for users seeking security enhancements without transitioning to the new OS, is reportedly operating on nearly one-third of all iOS devices. The initial reports gained traction due to their intriguing narrative suggesting that widespread aversion to the Liquid Glass design might be deterring users from upgrading. However, a closer inspection of traffic metrics from Condé Nast's websites during the last quarter of 2025 indicates that Statcounter's figures may be significantly underreporting the actual number of iOS 26 users. Analyzing the iPhone traffic from October to December 2025 against the same period in 2024 shows a notable trend. Approximately 76 percent of pageviews in December 2024 originated from iOS 18 devices, while only around 45 percent came from iOS 26 devices in December 2025. This suggests that, while iOS 26 is indeed being adopted more slowly than its predecessor, the underlying factors behind this trend are more complex than simply user discontent with the new design.