Shortly after the App Store credit, Polarsteps co-founder and Head of Design Job Harmsen was invited to speak at the Amsterdam edition of Apple’s “Let’s Talk Liquid Glass.” The event brought developers together to discuss best practices for implementing Apple’s new design language in iOS 26, and to showcase strong examples from the tech community. 

“Our guiding principle was restraint,” Harmsen said in his talk. “Stick to native components as much as possible, don’t slap Liquid Glass on everything, and subtly optimize the settings for readability.”

Harmsen also emphasized the broader principle behind the design implementation: “The importance of embracing native design systems on each platform, without losing the distinctive Polarsteps identity.” 

This platform-first approach has tangible results: "Beyond all the user benefits," Harmsen noted, "PR and featuring can be a valuable added bonus." For Polarsteps, Apple’s recognition has been clear proof of that.

Looking ahead, Polarsteps continues to refine the experience for travelers at every stage of their journey. Recent updates include a refreshed tracking feature and interactive map scenes in Trip Reels, alongside continued expansion of its travel inspiration and planning tools across the platform.

About Polarsteps

Recognized as one of Europe’s hottest scale-ups, Polarsteps is the market-leading travel app that helps over 19 million travelers worldwide to plan, track, and relive their adventures in a beautiful and seamless way. Using pioneering technology and design, the all-in-one app builds itineraries, maps travelers’ paths across the globe in real time, and provides a new way to share travel experiences. Headquartered in Amsterdam and powered by an international team of 100+ passionate travelers, we’re becoming the essential tool for modern-day explorers — before, during, and after their trips.