Apple's new Vice President of Human Interface Design, Steve Lemay, is reportedly pushing for a system-wide Liquid Glass slider in iOS 27. Despite initial speculation that Lemay might roll back the controversial design language after replacing Alan Dye, Gurman reveals Lemay was actually a driving force behind Liquid Glass development.

Apple has been refining the interface in response to criticism, adding toggles and controls in recent updates. iOS 26.1 introduced a tinted look toggle, 26.2 added granularity to the lock screen slider, and 26.4 disabled some bright highlighting effects. The company previously experimented with a system-wide slider during iOS 26 development but encountered engineering challenges with app folders, home screen organization, and navigation bars.

While Apple hopes to make this a system-wide option in iOS 27, some argue it could create inconsistent UI elements at both ends of the spectrum. The debate centers on whether offering granular control would solve Liquid Glass problems or simply make the interface messier. With Apple's history of iterative refinements, the question remains whether a slider is the right solution or if continued targeted improvements would better serve users.