iPhone User Spots a Small UI Detail Then Realizes How Bad It Really Is

Apple is once again facing criticism over its user interface design after an iPhone user noticed something that shouldn’t feel so jarring: inconsistent delete buttons across Apple’s own apps.

Reddit user rod8711 shared a screenshot on r/iOS, calling out the company for failing to maintain consistency—an area where Apple has traditionally excelled. The post quickly gained traction, earning more than 3,000 upvotes and hundreds of comments.

“Try opening each of the Apple apps one by one and notice how inconsistent they are,” the user wrote.

The screenshot showed nine different Apple apps, each featuring delete buttons with noticeably different shapes, sizes, and visual styles. What might seem like a minor design issue struck a nerve with longtime iOS users.

“Jeez, this is terrible,” one commenter wrote bluntly.

Another added, “The whole UI is inconsistent in this way. When Liquid Glass was rumored and then confirmed, I hoped it would mean a major overhaul that finally standardized everything.”

While some users acknowledged small improvements—like search buttons appearing more consistently in the bottom-right corner and fewer variations in back-navigation gestures—they felt the changes didn’t go far enough.

“There are some improvements,” one commenter said, “but they’re still not consistent across all apps.”

‘Apple Used to Have Much Higher Standards’

Several users pointed out that the issue became more noticeable with iOS 26.

“This was one of the first things I noticed,” a commenter wrote. “Buttons and actions were inconsistent, and some had moved from where they’d been for years.”

Others argued that criticism of these details misses the bigger picture.

“People making fun of this observation don’t realize Apple used to have much higher standards for software quality,” one user said. “iOS is progressively getting worse.”

Another agreed, noting that while the issue isn’t catastrophic, it breaks long-standing expectations. “I always felt like I knew where a button would be. That’s no longer true with iOS 26.”

Liquid Glass Backlash Continues

Much of the frustration ties back to Apple’s Liquid Glass design language introduced in iOS 26. Many users describe it as visually confusing, inconsistent, and even uncomfortable to look at—especially in dark mode or for those with visual sensitivities.

Criticism has also targeted the redesigned Safari tabs and overall usability. According to Tom’s Guide, the controversial visual overhaul contributed to historically low adoption rates for iOS 26, despite the update including important security fixes.

For now, Apple hasn’t offered a way to fully revert to the previous design, leaving dissatisfied users stuck with limited workarounds—or hoping Apple will rethink its approach in iOS 27.