Last month, we featured 15 great examples of apps that have adopted Apple’s Liquid Glass design language and latest APIs. Today, the MacStories team is sharing nine more of our favorite updates that take advantage of Apple’s latest technologies.
We’ll have additional coverage in the weeks ahead,but for now,let’s dive into even more of the best OS 26 updates we’ve seen this fall.
John: I remember when Denim was first released. It was a great idea that filled a gap in Apple’s Music app, allowing users to create their own playlist covers. the designs you could make with that first version where nice, tho fairly modest. But denim is one of those indie developer stories that I love. Through relentless iteration, the app has evolved into something very special, being named an Apple Design Award finalist in the Delight and Fun category earlier this year.
With the OS 26 release cycle, Denim is all-in on Liquid Glass. We’ve covered a lot of great liquid Glass implementations already, but Denim’s is extra special.The design is present in the app’s tab bar,where you’ll see the glass blob affect,but it’s also in the animations,like when you return from the cover picker to your playlists. Similar animations are on display when you tap the ‘+’ button to add a new cover or the ‘…’ button.
Denim’s Gallery interface is an excellent example of Liquid Glass used to display a collection of artwork. The view has a lot in common with apps like Music, but it does a better job of implementing the design without sacrificing legibility, thanks to its buttons’ frosted treatment.
denim’s Liquid Glass update aside, if you haven’t tried the app in a while, it’s worth taking another look at. I get tired of the auto-generated playlist art in Music,and the alternative covers Apple added a couple of years ago are uninspired. In contrast, Denim offers a wide variety of styles with highly customizable artwork, fonts, and colors. The gallery is incredibly deep, allowing you to make some fantastic covers.
Denim,which is iPhone-only,is available on the App Store for $2.99/month, $9.99/year, or a one-time payment of $29.99.
Federico: 2025 has been the year that I’ve fully embraced Drafts as my Markdown text editor/notepad of choice, and that’s all thanks to AI. Let me explain: thanks to the advancements in coding for models like GPT-5 and Sonnet 4.5, I’ve been able to turn Drafts into a highly personalized, extensible plain text editor that – unlike Obsidian – is natively integrated with Apple’s design language and latest platform features. That was never the case with Obsidian,which is an Electron app at its core and can’t match the pace of truly native apps for iOS and iPadOS. With Drafts, I get to have my cake and eat it too; I can “vibe-code” my own actions thanks to Claude, and I don’t have to give up on the nice perks that come with an request that is frequently updated for the latest Apple APIs.
Over the past two months, Drafts has received a series of notable updates for the 26 family of OSes. The app has been updated for Liquid Glass, which I think pairs well with Drafts’ UI, but more importantly, it’s also been optimized for iPadOS 26. That means full integration with the menu bar, multi-windowing, and ke
Locally AI and Longplay: Two Standout Apps of 2025
Table of Contents
This year has seen exciting developments in iOS and iPadOS apps, with two in particular standing out: Locally AI and Longplay.
Locally AI: Democratizing Open-Weights Models
Locally AI is a new app that brings the power of open-weights AI models to your iPhone, iPad, and Mac in an incredibly user-kind way. It supports models like DeepSeek R1, and Granite 4.0 in addition to Apple’s built-in, proprietary Apple Intelligence Foundation model. The app comes with a built-in gallery of models downloadable in MLX format, with notes that tell you whether a specific model size may run slowly on your device based on its memory and CPU usage.
What sets Locally AI apart is its ability to replicate the experience of a modern chatbot, complete with system prompts for personalized responses, vision model support for image attachments, voice mode, and even document summarization and detail extraction. It’s the most Apple-like approach to making open-weights models accessible and intuitive on the app Store, making it a standout debut of 2025.
Locally AI is available for free on the iPhone, iPad, and mac.
Longplay: Deep Automation and Elegant Design for Apple Music
For Apple Music users, Longplay, from Adrian Schönig, has had a important year. The Mac version, released in July, boasts extensive automation support, including Shortcuts actions, AppleScript, an Alfred workflow, and integrations with last.fm, ListenBrainz, and Anthropic’s Claude via MCP. This multi-faceted automation approach allows users to tailor workflows to their specific needs.
The Mac version is a separate purchase from the iPhone and iPad app, which recently received a beautiful Liquid Glass update that addresses legibility issues found in Apple’s Music app. Longplay’s interface is remarkably simple and elegant, especially considering its ability to manage large Apple Music libraries.
Longplay features three primary views: a mosaic-like album collection, a playback queue with association options, and sorting/settings. The Liquid Glass implementation provides fluid animations and a natural interaction model.The app also utilizes transparent, legible search bars and modern context menus for accessible controls and metadata.
Longplay is available on the App Store.
The RSS reader app, Unread, has garnered attention for its well-designed iPad application. While the app is available across Apple platforms, the work developer Brayton has done specifically for the iPad deserves recognition.
What is Unread?
unread is an RSS reader application designed for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It allows users to aggregate news feeds from various websites into a single, streamlined interface. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a web feed that allows users to subscribe to updates from websites,rather than having to visit them individually.
Key Features and pricing
Unread is free to download and use with basic functionality.Though, a subscription unlocks additional features:
- Monthly Subscription: $4.99
- Annual Subscription: $29.99
These subscriptions provide access to features beyond the core reading experience,enhancing organization and customization options.
Why the iPad Version Stands out
Developer Brayton has focused on creating a especially polished experience for iPad users. This includes optimized layouts for larger screens, intuitive gesture controls, and features designed to take advantage of the iPad’s capabilities. Users have praised the app’s speed, readability, and overall aesthetic on the iPad.
Recent Updates and Advancement
As of November 24, 2025, Unread continues to be actively developed. Brayton regularly releases updates to address user feedback and introduce new features. The developer maintains a strong presence on platforms like Mastodon, engaging directly with the user community.
FAQ
What is RSS?
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a web feed that allows you to receive updates from websites in a standardized format. Instead of visiting multiple websites to check for new content, you can use an RSS reader like Unread to see all your updates in one place.
Is Unread free?
Yes, Unread is free to download and use with basic features. A subscription unlocks additional functionality.
What platforms does Unread support?
Unread is available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Where can I find more information about Unread?
You can find more information on the App Store and follow the developer on mastodon.
Key Takeaways
- Unread is a powerful RSS reader available on Apple platforms.
- The iPad version of Unread is particularly well-regarded for its design and functionality.
- The app offers a free tier and a subscription for advanced features.
- Developer Brayton is actively maintaining and improving Unread based on user feedback.
Unread provides a compelling solution for staying informed in a streamlined and efficient manner. With continued development and a focus on user experience, it is poised to remain a leading RSS reader for Apple users.
Published: 2025/11/24 17:48:07
Keep reading