Oppo’s Next ColorOS Update May Borrow Apple’s Liquid Glass Style — But With a Practical Twist

As smartphone software becomes increasingly sophisticated, the competition between Android manufacturers and Apple is no longer focused solely on hardware. User interface design has emerged as one of the most important battlegrounds, with brands constantly refining how their software looks, feels, and responds to users.

Now, a new rumor suggests that Oppo is preparing one of its most significant visual redesigns in years. According to reports from China, the company’s upcoming ColorOS 17 update could adopt several design concepts inspired by Apple’s Liquid Glass interface, potentially introducing a more dynamic, translucent, and visually immersive experience for Oppo users.

However, Oppo’s approach may not be a direct copy. Instead, the company appears to be adapting the concept to better suit Android devices, focusing on efficiency, readability, and usability.

The Rise of Apple’s Liquid Glass Design

To understand why Oppo’s rumored redesign is generating attention, it helps to understand the design language that inspired it.

Apple introduced Liquid Glass as part of its software redesign for iOS 26 and other operating systems. The design emphasizes translucent materials, real-time reflections, refractions, and depth-aware interface elements that react dynamically to light and movement. Apple describes Liquid Glass as a material that reflects and refracts its surroundings while bringing greater focus to content.

The visual style quickly became one of the most talked-about aspects of Apple’s software ecosystem, with its glass-like controls, floating interface elements, and dynamic lighting effects creating a distinctly modern appearance.

Like many influential design trends before it, Liquid Glass appears to be influencing software development beyond Apple’s ecosystem.

ColorOS 17 Could Introduce “Liquid Acrylic” Elements

According to the latest rumor, Oppo’s implementation may not fully replicate Apple’s approach.

The leak claims that ColorOS 17 will feature what insiders describe as a design closer to “liquid acrylic” than “liquid glass.” The difference lies in how visual effects are rendered. Instead of strong refraction effects that dramatically distort background content, Oppo’s version is expected to use more subtle transparency and lighting techniques.

This approach reportedly offers two practical advantages:

• Lower power consumption
• Better readability across the interface

By reducing the intensity of refraction effects, Oppo could avoid some of the visibility concerns that critics have raised about highly transparent user interfaces while still delivering a modern aesthetic.

The trade-off, according to the leak, is that the visual impact may be less dramatic than Apple’s implementation.

A Broader Visual Refresh for ColorOS

The rumored changes extend well beyond transparency effects.

Reports suggest that ColorOS 17 could introduce a comprehensive redesign touching multiple areas of the operating system. These enhancements may include:

More Consistent Rounded Corners

One of the most noticeable updates could be the adoption of more harmonious rounded corners throughout the interface.

Menus, overlays, widgets, pop-up windows, notification panels, and system cards may all receive a more unified appearance. The goal appears to be creating a cleaner and more cohesive visual experience that feels consistent regardless of where users are navigating within the system.

Enhanced Light Rendering

Leaks also point to improvements in light-field rendering and dynamic lighting effects.

Instead of relying solely on blur effects, ColorOS 17 may introduce real-time lighting animations that react during interactions. These enhancements could create a greater sense of depth and motion throughout the operating system.

Dynamic Notifications and Live Activities

Notifications could become significantly more interactive under the new design system.

Reports indicate that Oppo is testing real-time lighting effects for:

• Notification pop-up windows
• Music playback interfaces
• Live Alerts
• Fluid Cloud experiences
• Dynamic Island-style features

These additions could make system interactions feel more alive while improving visual continuity across different interface elements.

Building on Oppo’s Existing Luminous Design

The rumored redesign would not represent a complete departure from Oppo’s current visual philosophy.

Recent versions of ColorOS already use what Oppo calls a “Luminous Design” framework. This approach incorporates frosted glass effects, light-inspired elements, and translucent surfaces across various parts of the interface, including:

• Notification panels
• App drawers
• Buttons
• Number pads
• System applications such as Photos, Calculator, and Phone

ColorOS 17 appears poised to evolve these concepts rather than replace them entirely. The new update could simply push the existing design language further by introducing more advanced lighting effects and richer visual depth.

The Growing Influence of Apple’s Design Language

Oppo is not alone in exploring glass-inspired interface designs.

Across the Android ecosystem, several manufacturers have recently introduced visual elements that echo Apple’s design direction.

According to industry reports:

• Vivo’s OriginOS 6 includes glass-like effects in its lock screen and quick settings interfaces.
• Xiaomi’s HyperOS 3 reportedly incorporates iOS-inspired notification styling and animations.
• Oppo now appears to be joining the trend with ColorOS 17.

This pattern highlights a broader reality within the smartphone industry: successful design ideas rarely remain confined to a single platform.

When one company introduces a compelling user experience, competitors often adapt and reinterpret those concepts to fit their own ecosystems.

Performance Remains a Priority

While visual improvements are attracting the most attention, ColorOS 17 is also expected to continue Oppo’s focus on performance optimization.

Previous leaks have suggested potential enhancements in:

• CPU resource allocation
• Memory management
• Multitasking efficiency
• Application retention
• Frame-rate stability
• Camera zoom transitions

These changes could ensure that visual upgrades do not come at the expense of responsiveness and battery life.

This balance may ultimately become one of the defining characteristics of ColorOS 17. Rather than chasing visual spectacle alone, Oppo appears to be seeking a middle ground between aesthetics and practicality.

The Android 17 Connection

ColorOS 17 is expected to be based on Android 17, Google’s next major operating system release.

With Android 17 anticipated to arrive soon, industry observers believe Oppo could begin teasing ColorOS 17 in the coming weeks. Some reports suggest the software may debut alongside the upcoming Oppo Find X10 series later this year before expanding to additional devices.

Although many details remain unofficial, the timing aligns with Oppo’s typical software release cycle.

What This Means for Smartphone Design

The ColorOS 17 rumors reveal an interesting shift in smartphone software design priorities.

For years, Android manufacturers focused heavily on customization, features, and functionality. Today, visual identity is becoming equally important. Brands are investing more resources into animations, depth effects, motion design, and interface consistency as they seek to create premium experiences that stand out.

Whether Oppo’s “liquid acrylic” interpretation ultimately succeeds will depend on execution. If the company can combine attractive visuals with strong readability, smooth performance, and efficient power usage, ColorOS 17 could become one of the most polished Android interfaces available.

Conclusion

ColorOS 17 is shaping up to be a significant evolution for Oppo’s software platform. Rumors suggest the company is embracing aspects of Apple’s Liquid Glass design philosophy while tailoring the concept to meet Android users’ expectations for performance and usability.

From enhanced transparency effects and dynamic lighting to refined rounded corners and upgraded live notifications, the update could deliver a noticeably more modern and cohesive user experience.

While Oppo has yet to officially reveal ColorOS 17, the leaks indicate that the company is preparing a substantial visual refresh—one that may help define the next chapter of Android interface design.