Did Apple fire Jon Yongfook, designer behind Liquid Glass UI? Here's the truth behind viral claim

Claims about Apple firing a Jon Yongfook, allegedly the lead designer of the Liquid Glass UI unveiled at WWDC 2025, surfaced on social media

Published on: Jun 11, 2025, 24:51:29 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Claims about Apple firing a Jon Yongfook, allegedly the lead designer of the Liquid Glass UI unveiled at WWDC 2025, surfaced on social media on Monday. Yongfook, an influencer on social media, posted about being fired. However, now several social media users are saying that Yongfook never worked with Apple.

Jon Yongfook claimed he was fired by Apple (LinkedIn and Bloomberg)

“I was fired by Apple today. Me and my design team have spent the last 18 months tirelessly testing different levels of gaussian blur on backgrounds when foreground elements are in focus. If you are looking for experts in the blur, glass liquid, grass or fur UI space, lmk,” Yongfook said on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

His followers were quick to note that Yongfook never worked at Apple, and his tweet seemed satirical.

“Media has picked up this tweet and reported that Apple has fired their lead designer Jon Yong Fook for Liquid Glass design. Jon is an entrepreneur that runs SaaS products, and did not work at Apple's design. It's their in his bio Media did not even bother to check his bio...” one person tweeted.

Yongfook is a serial entrepreneur, not a documented Apple employee. He founded Bannerbear, a SaaS for automated image generation, and previously worked at Aviva. His website and LinkedIn focus on startups, with no mention of Apple.

“Senior Digital leader with over 15 years of global technology and business experience at both multinational organizations and startups. Seasoned entrepreneur and technology innovator with two successful exits. Experience in industries such as Financial Services, Ecommerce and Consumer Internet. Working experience in markets including Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore,” his bio on LinkedIn states.

Liquid Glass UI Context

Apple unveiled Liquid Glass, a translucent, dynamic UI for iOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, and other platforms, led by Craig Federighi and Alan Dye. It features Gaussian blur, rounded controls, and adaptive navigation.

Apple’s Human Interface Design team, under Dye, developed Liquid Glass, with no mention of Yongfook.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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