A new UI for Mac OS is here!

[Randy B. Singer]

It's called Liquid Glass, and it is highly reminiscent of Aqua, only with more transparency:

OS - macOS Tahoe 26

macOS Tahoe 26 with a new design, more ways to work seamlessly across devices, and new features to turbocharge productivity every day.

www.apple.com

and while it is very attractive, our older users are going to hate it. Lots of white text on light blue backgrounds. Not a lot of contrast.

 

[IWT]

One way of "reducing" the difficulties we "oldies" have is to go into:

Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size. Then Turn On "Reduce Transparency".

(This is said to: Improve Contrast by reducing transparency and Blurs on some backgrounds to increase legibility)

(several other options are available on the same page; such as Bold Text, Larger Text, Increase Contrast (on or off) etc.

Ian

 

[MacBiter]

It’s all very pretty … but people don't use their Macs merely to consume content - why would serious users of Photoshop, Logic Pro, Final Cut, Scrivener, FileMaker Pro, etc want an OS that looks and behaves like iOS ? .

 

[Randy B. Singer]

It’s all very pretty … but people don't use their Macs merely to consume content - why would serious users of Photoshop, Logic Pro, Final Cut, Scrivener, FileMaker Pro, etc want an OS that looks and behaves like iOS ? .

You seem to be assuming that the Mac's new OS is a clone of iOS, or that it has adopted iOS's GUI. Neither is true. Liquid Glass is an all-new GUI look that is now standardized across all of Apple's platforms.

But the Mac OS isn't in any way changed to "behave like iOS."

 

[Randy B. Singer]

One way of "reducing" the difficulties we "oldies" have is to go into:

Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size. Then Turn On "Reduce Transparency".

I think that we all knew that from several recent discussion threads. This thread is about macOS 26 (Tahoe). It remains to be seen if it can be adjusted so that old eyes can read the screen better.

 

[MacBiter]

But the Mac OS isn't in any way changed to "behave like iOS."

I was going from the very simplistic look in that link - it was presented like a kids computer.

 

[ferrarr]

it was presented like a kids computer.

To hold eye, maybe. It is how companies market their products. Production value seems like an easy sell

 

[pm-r]

(several other options are available on the same page; such as Bold Text, Larger Text, Increase Contrast (on or off) etc.

I hope they are enough to overcome any stupid Apple UI designers' updates. Their macOS GUI has sucked big time for many of us seniors with poor eyesight including their basic stupid light gray text on a l light contrasting background. Their workarounds are only a partial fix for most of their stupid design updates.



- Patrick
=======

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Well, the good news is that macOS 26 hasn't even been released yet (except as a beta) and there is already an open source project working to provide a free tool to revert the objectionable parts of the GUI.

I also understand that there is a product creating a theme engine for macOS, called "Glow."

Of course, macOS 26 is still in development. If enough beta testers object they may change the GUI before it is released.

 

[pm-r]

Of course, macOS 26 is still in development. If enough beta testers object they may change the GUI before it is released.

I was just more or less curious as to how or if they were even going to include any version updates in their naming convention in the newly named Mac OS you mean convention.

I was also curious if they were going to make it more or less confusing than it currently is.

So will a OS26 become OS26.1 when it gets its first update and then OS26.2 with its second update or what?

I'm sure they have thought through the method carefully and hopefully kept it fairly simple whatever it is they have decided to do.




- Patrick
=======

 

[Rod]

Have a look as my post or here;

MacOS Tahoe Announced with New Liquid Glass Interface

Apple has announced MacOS Tahoe, versioned as macOS 26, jumping 11 versions ahead from the current versioning of MacOS 15. This versioning number change is congruent with the new year-based version…

osxdaily.com

 

[Slydude]

So will a OS26 become OS26.1 when it gets its first update and then OS26.2 with its second update or what?

I'm sure they have thought through the method carefully and hopefully kept it fairly simple whatever it is they have decided to do.




- Patrick
=======

I think that is exactly what will happen happen because those revision numbers often convey important information when someone is seeking tech support.

IMHO the future of OS revision numbers will look like going forward:
1. All OS versions (Mac, TV, Watch, etc) go to version 26.0 when they're released.
2. The custom of point numbers (.1, .2, etc) for minor updates will continue.
That process simplifies things considerably--especially for casual users.

Under the current system we have macOS 15.5, IOS and iPad OS 18.5, WatchOS `10.6.1, and whatever the current TVOS happens to be. My understanding of the new system is that the next OS will start at OS 26 on all devices and go forward from there. I think it's also likely that there will be some method to keep the minor (point) updates in sync. So, for example, when MacOS goes to 26.1 the entire Apple ecosystem will have an OS version number of 26.1.

 

[Rod]

It's called Liquid Glass, and it is highly reminiscent of Aqua, only with more transparency:

OS - macOS Tahoe 26

macOS Tahoe 26 with a new design, more ways to work seamlessly across devices, and new features to turbocharge productivity every day.

www.apple.com

and while it is very attractive, our older users are going to hate it. Lots of white text on light blue backgrounds. Not a lot of contrast.

Probably right there Randy, what about Dark Mode I wonder?

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Probably right there Randy, what about Dark Mode I wonder?

There will be three modes of different contrast, if I recall correctly. So one of the three might be perfect for old eyes.

 

[MacBiter]

So will a OS26 become OS26.1 when it gets its first update and then OS26.2 with its second update or what?

I'm sure they have thought through the method carefully and hopefully kept it fairly simple whatever it is they have decided to do.

It might be less numerically confusing if they brought in letters instead of numbers for major updates.
So: OS26 … OS26.a … OS26.a1 … OS26.b etc. That way you wouldn't have the year followed by a number. (But then, I'm left handed so what do I know? ).

 

[Jimmysb]

There will be three modes of different contrast, if I recall correctly. So one of the three might be perfect for old eyes.

Nothing is perfect for old eyes, in fact nothing is perfect, otherwise what would old people complain about

 

[ferrarr]

Nothing is perfect for old eyes, in fact nothing is perfect, otherwise what would old people complain about

In my family, we (old & young) complain about almost anything.

 

[pm-r]

In my family, we (old & young) complain about almost anything.

Great, that's how most things eventually get improved. We all need more than mediocre stuff. So more need to do the same.



- Patrick
=======

 

[ferrarr]

Because complaining about the weather, and they way others drive is so very productive?

 

[hempomatic]

Well ...... I don't complain about EVERYTHING, but I do get terribly frustrated with change when I can't figure things out on my own.

Are we getting to the point where our Intel machines become an anachronism?

Now GET off my lawn !