The company could use some of its founder’s knack for fun and delight.

There are two Steve Jobs keynotes that stand out in my memory more than any other. The first, of course, is the moment he introduced the iPhone in 2007. The entire keynote was a masterclass in storytelling, engineering, and showmanship. But my favorite part was when Jobs, in the middle of a live demo, prank called a Starbucks and calmly said he wanted to order 4,000 lattes to go. Then he quickly added, “Just kidding,” and hung up the call. It was a small thing, but it was unforgettable. It was unexpected. It was… fun.

But there’s another moment that sticks with me. It’s less iconic, but only because on the scale of the iPhone, everything is less iconic. It was, however, just as telling about how Jobs thinks about products and how to talk about them. It was 2000, when Jobs introduced Mac OS X’s Aqua interface. The new design was fluid, full of gradients and transparency. It was colorful and reflective– almost glossy. It looked unlike anything else at the time. And when Jobs talked about it, he said something that defined Apple’s relationship with design for the next two decades: “One of the design goals was that when you saw it, you wanted to lick it.” Then he paused and licked his lips.

I often think about the fact that the goal of designing a piece of software that millions of people would use was as much about how it made people feel as it was about being useful. Obviously, it had to be useful, but it also had to be fun. It had to be delightful. This brings me to this year’s WWDC. Apple announced a major redesign of all its software platforms with what it’s calling “Liquid Glass.” According to Alan Dye, Apple’s VP of Human Interface Design, the goal was to give the system “depth, vibrancy, and a new level of expression.” It’s a very different look, especially on the iPhone—but there are real changes on the Mac as well.

But the thing I keep thinking about is: where’s the fun? The keynote was impressive. It was polished. It was efficient. But it didn’t quite feel joyful. It didn’t feel like Apple was showing off something it loved. It felt like Apple was explaining something it had to get right. Dye used a lot of words to explain how the company studied the properties of glass and how it reflects and refracts light. The thing is, I think it would have been fine if he just said Apple thinks it’s really cool.

I’ve heard and read critics say that Jobs would roll over in his grave if he saw the new interface design. That’s the kind of thing that’s easy to say for views, but I don’t think it’s true at all. First, the new design is still an early beta. Yes, there are things that don’t work from a design perspective—but it’s far too early to pass judgment. I have confidence that Apple will fix them as it gets closer to September when it ships them to the public. My point isn’t that Jobs wouldn’t have liked what Apple is doing with Liquid Design. My point is that he would have had a lot more fun with it than the company seems to be having. Perhaps it’s harder now than in 2000. Perhaps that’s because Apple is under intense pressure, now more than ever. It’s been a year since Apple teased the arrival of a smarter Siri and its broader vision for AI, now branded “Apple Intelligence.” Expectations are high, especially as it seems the competition is delivering on Apple’s promises with more speed and consistency than Apple itself. But the Liquid Glass redesign—what should have been the most obviously delightful part—felt strangely sterile.

During the Aqua introduction, Jobs said that “when you design a new user interface, you have to start off humbly. You have to start off saying, ‘What are the simplest elements in it? What does a button look like?’ And you spend months working on a button.” The implication was that even something as small as a button can carry emotion, weight, and personality. I miss the company that wasn’t afraid to get weird. To call a design “lickable.” To order 4,000 lattes from the stage. I’m not saying Apple needs to recreate Steve Jobs’ persona. That would be impossible—and probably a bad idea. But I do think it needs to rediscover a little of that energy. That sense of play. That design isn’t just functional, or even beautiful. It’s emotional. It’s fun.

A user interface doesn’t have to be revolutionary to be memorable. It just has to make you feel something. Better yet if that feeling is: “I kinda want to lick this.”

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.