This is a far better idea for iOS 26 and macOS 26. And honestly, an obvious one. Maybe make them look like fully 3D capsules with a bit of a highlight on the top as well? https://parkerortolani.blog/2025/08/04/tinted-liquid-glass-should-be.html
Tinted Liquid Glass Should be the Future of User Interfaces on Apple Platforms

It’s certainly no secret that I am a huge fan of …

Meet with Apple: Explore the biggest updates from WWDC25

YouTube
@atnbueno (Also worth noting that the post does show the WWDC video examples!)

@atnbueno @marcedwards Watched the section. Does not look like the stance has any changes from the June videos:

> “too much of it or in the wrong places can be perceived as visual noise.”
>
> “Reserve it for key actions”
>
> “Tinting every glass button in the toolbar can be distracting”

@atnbueno @marcedwards Also still features app icons from beta 1 (Photos blurriness, Finder inverse, etc.) and some shots with obvious contrast issues. Didn’t care too much to update the presentation materials after 2 months of internet yelling at them. Oh well...
@marcedwards I was expecting it to look like what you're describing, Aqua buttons with transparency. The current implementation of colored buttons looks so weird, flat and opaque but still with edge highlights.
@svenni Yeah, I agree. Bring back Aqua!

@marcedwards Whatever fixes the contrast issues – I’ll take it.

But this also creates other issues, like having primary and secondary roles of buttons – color was the primary means for this before. How would you solve this if all buttons get tint-colored? Different colors? 10 pt dashed border? :)

Also this is not a solution for macOS – in 27in full screen app case it would become some Christmas tree parody very fast.