In 2025, Google expanded its Pixel-exclusive app ecosystem with new apps like Journal, Pixel VIPs, and an upgraded My Pixel, alongside major updates to existing apps such as Recorder, Pixel Studio, and Weather, all featuring Material 3 Expressive design elements to enhance user experience across devices.
The article reviews Google's Material 3 Expressive redesign, noting it as a successful visual update for Android devices but somewhat inconsistent and incremental in Google apps, resembling a Material 3.5 update rather than a full overhaul, with mixed feelings about usability and design cohesion.
Google is rolling out its new Material 3 Expressive design language across various Android apps and devices, including recent launches like Pixel Watch II, Google Wallet, and Google Home, with many apps receiving updates to improve visual separation, containers, and animations, enhancing the overall user experience.
The reviewer enjoys the Pixel 10 Pro and its Pixel UI improvements like Material 3 Expressive and contextual AI features, but criticizes its rigidity, limited customization options, and some usability issues like the search in Settings and quick toggle steps, highlighting a love-hate relationship with the UI.
Google's Android 16 QPR1 update for Pixel phones introduces a major design overhaul with Material 3 Expressive, a new desktop mode similar to Samsung DeX, Live Updates for notifications, Auracast Bluetooth sharing, and various improvements for tablets and overall user experience.
Google Drive has redesigned its document scanner editor with a new Material 3 Expressive update, featuring larger page previews, a new tools carousel, and improved navigation, enhancing the user experience on Android devices. The update is rolling out to all Google Workspace and personal Google account users over the coming weeks.
Google is rolling out its Material 3 Expressive redesign across various Android apps, enhancing UI with containers, rounded shapes, and new features, starting with apps like Pixel Recorder, Weather, and Google TV, and updating others like Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Calendar to provide a more modern and cohesive user experience.
Google is rolling out its Material 3 Expressive redesign across various Android apps, including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, and more, featuring new UI elements like containers, thicker shapes, and animated interactions to enhance user experience.
Gmail for Android is receiving a Material 3 Expressive redesign, including a new search app bar and a widely rolling out 'Mark as read' feature in notifications, enhancing user experience with updated UI elements and functionality.
Google is developing a more dynamic, bouncy animation for its Gemini overlay as part of the Material 3 Expressive redesign, with recent APK teardowns revealing upcoming UI tweaks that aim to make interactions more engaging and visually appealing, although these changes are not yet live for users.
Google Meet is adopting Google's Material 3 Expressive design, featuring larger, more capacious buttons on the pre-call screen, though the overall redesign is modest compared to other Google communication apps. The update includes more rounded containers for call history and an enlarged profile image, with significant changes primarily on the pre-call interface, such as oversized call buttons that appear disproportionate. These updates are currently available in version 310 for Android and are part of Google's broader UI refresh efforts.
Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 introduces visual tweaks to the brightness and volume sliders, adopting Material 3 Expressive design, with changes like icon repositioning and improved UI organization, along with support for connected displays and other interface enhancements.
The article compares the new design languages and features of iOS 26 and Android 16, highlighting Apple's Liquid Glass aesthetic and system-wide redesigns, as well as new functionalities like call screening, visited places, and image search, illustrating how both platforms are evolving and borrowing ideas from each other.