iOS 26's most controversial change has already been copied by an Android phone maker

vivo origin os 6 liquid glass comparissons — (Image credit: Vivo)

In news that shouldn't really surprise anyone, it looks like an Android phone manufacturer has already made an attempt at copying iOS 26's hallmark Liquid Glass design.

Chinese brand Vivo has just released a tease for the new OriginOS 6 update, and it's very clear that the designers have taken more than a little inspiration from Apple's iOS update.

Vivo OriginOS 6 Official Introduction - YouTube

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In the video you can see transparent windows and icons, what seems to be the smoother animation style Apple added to its own phones and a lot of water-centric imagery. Heck, you can even see a music widget switch from an opaque background to the glossy translucent windows that are so common on iOS 26.

Some of the marketing material also mentions that "With OriginOS 6, every swipe, scroll, and tap flows like never before. No lags. No stutters. Just effortless motion built for the way you move. Because smooth isn’t just a feature - it’s the essence of OriginOS 6."

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It's not subtle, and it doesn't feel like Vivo is even trying to hide the fact that it's copying Liquid Glass.

A lot of Chinese brands do seem to take "inspiration" from Apple's operating system. I've lost count of how many of them have their own carbon copies of Apple's Control Center menu — something Vivo also shows off in this video.

Admittedly, lifting new ideas from iPhones isn't exclusive to Chinese brands. Plenty of other phones have copied Apple's homework, just like how Apple has lifted common Android features for its own platform. I'd bet money that Vivo won't be the last company to try and emulate Liquid Glass on its own phones.

Of course, the odds of any U.S. buyers actually getting to try OriginOS 6 for themselves are quite slim. Vivo doesn't typically sell phones in the United States, instead sticking to international markets like India and some European countries. So you may have to wait for someone else to copy Liquid Glass before you can try a non-iPhone version for yourself.

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Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.

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