iOS 26 is criticized for being ugly.

iOS 26 was launched on June 10th at Apple headquarters. Photo: Apple .

Chinese consumers have been unimpressed with Apple's biggest software redesign in history, according to social media posts in the country. Apple is also facing significant challenges in the world's largest smartphone market.

In the early hours of June 10th, Apple unveiled a new software interface design called Liquid Glass at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2025) held at its headquarters in Cupertino, California.

This new design is being applied uniformly across all of Apple's operating systems – including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26.

However, Chinese consumers expressed disappointment with the new design. The hashtag "iOS26 is ugly" became the most trending topic on the Weibo app. More than 20,000 netizens in mainland China voiced their dissatisfaction with the new interface.

Yan Binglu, a 22-year-old iPhone user living in Chengdu, Sichuan, said she is reconsidering upgrading her iPhone this year because she finds the new interface unappealing.

"The new system doesn't look as good as before," Yan said. "I always update to the latest iOS, but this time I'll stick with the current version."

The lukewarm online reaction from Chinese consumers is the latest development in a series of difficulties Apple has faced in the country in recent years, as domestic rivals like Huawei are fiercely competing in the high-end smartphone segment.

According to a May report by market research firm IDC, Apple's smartphone sales in China are expected to decline by 1.9% in 2025 due to intense competition from Huawei, a slowing economy , and the fact that most Apple models do not qualify for government subsidies.

Chinese smartphone manufacturers have quickly integrated artificial intelligence (AI) features into their products, while Apple is still awaiting regulatory approval to launch its own AI service, called Apple Intelligence, in this market. Apple is forced to partner with a local company to provide AI in China, which puts its devices at a disadvantage compared to domestic competitors.

Source: https://znews.vn/ios-26-bi-che-xau-post1559880.html