Android fans are afraid Google could clone iOS 26's most contentious aspect, Google dismisses concern

The annual Google I/O developer conference is scheduled to run from May 19 to May 20. As is the case every year, Google will be showcasing new Android advancements and features. Before the I/O 2026 begins, Google is hosting “The Android Show I/O Edition” on May 12 at 10 am PT (7 PM CET). However, Google’s announcement teaser for the show has sparked fan concerns regarding the UI design of future Android versions.

If you look at The Android Show I/O Edition teaser announcement linked at the end, the aesthetic of the Android bot looks awfully similar to Apple’s Liquid Glass UI design. The Android bot in this example has all the markings of a Liquid Glass-inspired design with a translucent material and light refractions. This has made many fans concerned that Google is following Apple’s design language and will introduce Liquid Glass-inspired UI design in Android 17 and beyond.

For instance, one user remarks that "if they switch from material expressive to a liquid glass rip-off then its genuinely so over."

For people who have been following iOS news, it will be immediately clear why Android users are worried about a Liquid Glass-like UI for Android 17. Liquid Glass was heavily criticized for its design issues centered around readability, perceived slowness due to slow animations, and inconsistent UI elements.

So, it makes sense why Android users don’t want a UI design inspired by Liquid Glass on Android. The reaction to this has been so overwhelmingly negative that Sameer Samat, President of Android Ecosystem at Google, had to explain on X that Liquid Glass on Android is “not happening”. But some fans are still not convinced.

If the translucent Android bot isn’t teasing at a new Liquid Glass-like UI design, what exactly is it hinting at then? While we won’t know for sure until The Android Show on May 12, we can speculate that it could be something related to, drumroll please, AI.

Google is trying its best to shove AI wherever possible, from search to Gemini on smartphones. Android 17 is likely to be choke full of AI stuff, including potentially features like agentic AI.

Fortunately, we don’t have to wait too long to find out what Google is actually cooking. We’ll keep you posted.

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