This year, Apple seems to be paying special attention to small details when it comes to design. Some may find this unnecessary, but others appreciate this care given to the interface, down to the most discreet animations.
We recently shared with you a new visual feature that appeared on iPadOS 26. An interactive magnifying glass has been integrated into the Preview app, which can be moved freely on the screen. In addition to enlarging the content below, it applies a warping effect, as if a piece of glass were placed on the interface.
A detail which is in no way functional but which clearly shows the direction taken by Apple. On iOS 26, another example of this refinement was spotted within the Clock icon itself.
A wink hidden in the Clock icon
Users have noticed that in low power mode, the Clock icon second hand no longer advances smoothly. The second hand now jumps once per secondlike a classic quartz watch. This change is not obvious, but it reflects a voluntary modification of the graphical behavior of the interface.
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Apple does not communicate on this type of detail, and yet this type of adjustment confirms a precise intention. The interface gains in graphic coherence even in its animations. The slowing second hand follows this logic precisely. Fewer movements, fewer resources, but still within the framework of an elegant interface.
An animation more recent than it seems
Contrary to what some Internet users claim, this behavior has not existed since the launch of low power mode in iOS 9, and it is not available in iOS 18. The confusion often comes from the fact that eco mode has been around for a long time. However, the smooth second hand remained unchanged until today. *
Finally, this new feature does not really save battery but it reinforces the visual coherence of the system. If you want to see what the iOS 18 icons look like compared to those of iOS 26, we show you the differences in images in this article.
By: Keleops AG
