Latest news with #Material3Expressive
Android Authority
4 days ago
- Android Authority
Google unpacks what went into Phone's Material 3 Expressive revamp
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority TL;DR Over the past few weeks, we've tracked a number of Material 3 Expressive changes in development for Google's Phone all. Last week testers in the Phone beta program first started seeing some of these changes arrive. This week Google confirms the rollout and details exactly what's changing and why. Google's Android apps are currently in a state of flux, as a wave of Material 3 Expressive washes over them with a coat of its new design language. We've already been tracking this progress across many of the company's apps, and that includes the stalwart Phone dialer. After uncovering some early efforts to freshen up Phone last month, we finally started seeing some of those updates rolling out to beta testers last week. With the cat out of the bag, Google's now stepping forward to talk a little about why it's changing what it is. Google confirms what we observed before, in that users registered for the Phone beta are beginning to see these M3E changes arrive. The company emphasizes that it's introducing the new look gradually, so don't be surprised if you're in the beta and haven't yet noticed anything new — it's on the way; just hold tight. One of the most obvious tweaks there, besides the general embrace of Material 3 Expressive with its big touch-friendly bulbous UI elements, is that new call-pickup control. Rather than discrete buttons for answering or rejecting, we're seeing the implementation of the new slider interface we've been tracking in development. Google says that it's trying out this new design after getting feedback that it was too easy to accidentally reject a call you actually wanted to take with the old system — or maybe worse, accidentally answering when you didn't mean to. The company also points to improvements we can see in the new home view. There, Google says it's eliminated threading to give your call log nice at-a-glance visibility with a simple chronological layout. And up top, that bar makes favorite contacts simple to access without needing to further dig around within the app. That all sounds pretty good to us, and so far we've been reasonably pleased with the M3E changes coming to Phone and the rest of Google's Android software library. This is all still in development, though, and Google's taking feedback that could lead to further changes down the road. If you want to make sure you're seeing the latest tweaks as they land, make sure you register for Phone's beta program. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
India Today
4 days ago
- India Today
Google phone app update makes calls easier, more fun and colourful than ever
Google is giving its Phone app a fresh coat of paint. The new design change is part of the company's broader Material 3 Expressive design rollout, which focuses on a more vibrant, personalised, and emotive design language for user interfaces on Android and Wear OS devices. The changes specific to the Phone app are being rolled out gradually to Public Beta users this week. The refresh introduces a number of functional and aesthetic changes, offering an intuitive, visually appealing, and user-friendly calling new update for Google's Phone app brings a redesigned interface that makes connecting with your most important contacts quicker, and your call history easier to navigate. One of the most notable changes is the introduction of a new "Home" tab, which replaces the previous "Favourites," "Recents," "Contacts," and "Voicemail" tabs with a more streamlined three-tab layout: "Home," "Keypad," and "Voicemail."At the top of the new "Home" tab, users will find a convenient "Favourites bar," displaying their top contacts as circular icons for quick access without needing to navigate to a separate tab. Below this, Google has also simplified the call log. To improve clarity, calls from the same person will no longer be nested under a single entry. Instead, each call will appear as a distinct chronological entry, making it easier to track your call history at a glance. While this change might clutter the list slightly, it's aimed at helping users track call patterns more clearly – like noticing how often someone has tried to reach Another highlight of this revamp is a new gesture-based way to answer or decline calls. The incoming call screen will now feature a horizontal swipe gesture. This design tweak comes in response to user feedback, with many finding the horizontal motion more intuitive and less prone to accidental taps – especially when pulling the phone out of a pocket or the incoming call screen is also getting a visual refresh. Contacts will now be framed in playful, uneven circles to add a touch of personality to every Phone app update is part of Google's broader design evolution across its ecosystem. Google launched Android 16 earlier this month, and the new OS integration for Android phones is expected to fully embrace the Material 3 Expressive redesign in an upcoming is also gradually infusing this new design language into its suite of apps, aiming for a more cohesive and expressive user experience across its platforms. The company has already released the Android 16 update for Pixel phones, and a wider rollout is expected later this year – likely around September. Meanwhile, Pixel users have recently received a new 'Pixel VIP' widget that further integrates with favourite contacts by displaying their location, call history, and even personal notes.- Ends
Hans India
4 days ago
- Hans India
Google Phone App Gets Vibrant Redesign with Intuitive Features and Better Call Controls
Google is rolling out a visually striking redesign of its Phone app, giving it a modern, vibrant feel with a more personalized and intuitive experience. This overhaul is part of the company's broader Material 3 Expressive design initiative, aimed at making Android and Wear OS interfaces more dynamic and emotionally resonant. The refreshed look is currently being made available to public beta testers. It introduces both aesthetic and functional upgrades that not only enhance visual appeal but also improve usability. At the heart of the redesign is a simplified navigation structure. The traditional layout with tabs like "Favourites," "Recents," "Contacts," and "Voicemail" is being replaced by a more compact, three-tab format: Home, Keypad, and Voicemail. The all-new Home tab is designed to offer quick access to the people you connect with most. A Favourites bar now sits at the top, displaying frequently contacted individuals as circular icons — allowing for one-tap communication without jumping through extra menus. Call logs have also been reimagined. Instead of grouping multiple calls from the same contact into a single entry, the app now lists each call individually. While this may result in a busier-looking log, it helps users better understand call frequency — for instance, identifying if someone has tried to reach them multiple times. With gesture-based call controls and deeper integration with contacts, this update isn't just about looks. It's a step forward in making calling more seamless, colourful, and enjoyable on Android devices.
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Business Standard
20-06-2025
- Business Standard
Google Phone app gets Material 3 Expressive redesign, new call gestures
Google is rolling out a Material 3 Expressive redesign to its Phone app, introducing new call gestures and UI updates, with similar design changes coming to Gmail, Photos, and Messages New Delhi Google has reportedly begun rolling out a new Material 3 Expressive design update for its Phone app on Android. According to a report by 9To5Google, the latest beta of the 'Phone by Google' app introduces a sweeping visual overhaul alongside new gesture-based call answering options, including 'Horizontal swipe' and 'Single tap.' Google introduced Material 3 Expressive last month at its inaugural 'Android Show: I/O Edition,' describing it as the next major visual leap for Android 16. Building on the foundations of Material You, the new design language focuses on dynamic colour theming, playful animations, responsive UI elements, and modernised typography to offer a more personalised, expressive user experience. Phone by Google app: What is new With the new update, the Recents tab now displays call logs in rounded rectangular cards, a container style that's now applied throughout the app — including the Favourites section and dialer screen. The number pad itself remains unchanged, but the background sheet now features rounded corners for visual consistency. Filters like All, Missed, Contacts, Non-Spam, and Spam have also received design updates. The main Settings menu has been refreshed with the new Material 3 Expressive styling, and now includes a new 'Incoming call gesture' option, letting users choose between 'Horizontal swipe' or 'Single tap' to answer calls. The incoming call screen features a scalloped Material 3 shape that rotates until an action is taken. During an active call, the circular control buttons have been replaced by pill-shaped buttons that morph into rounded rectangles when selected. These include redesigned spacing and a more prominent, wider End Call button. Material 3 Expressive in other Google apps Google Photos: The app now features cleaner layouts with a floating toolbar in albums containing Share, Add photos, and Edit options — previously placed below the album cover. There's also a new 'Show QR Code' button when sharing an album, allowing users to generate scannable QR codes for collaborative sharing. Gmail: Some users are seeing early signs of Material 3 Expressive in Gmail, with visual changes including: Message lists now displayed on rounded-corner cards. Separately layered search bar, menu, and account switcher for improved depth. A bolder, more prominent 'Compose' floating button. Refined swipe animations for archiving emails. Google Messages: Material 3 Expressive is also reshaping Google Messages. Changes include: Conversation threads displayed in rounded cards. The Plus menu now uses pill-shaped containers for Gallery, GIFs, and Stickers. A unified toolbar in the emoji keyboard now lets users easily switch between Emoji, GIFs, Stickers, and Photomoji.
Android Authority
17-06-2025
- Android Authority
One UI 8 is missing these 2 crucial Android 16 features, and I want them now!
Joe Maring / Android Authority Samsung pleasantly surprised us with how fast it started its Android 16 beta, especially after the mess it made with the One UI 7 rollout. One UI 8 has been a small update so far, but it makes some welcome tweaks to what we got in One UI 7's major redesign. While it's based on Android 16 and even has some features that Pixels don't have access to just yet, two of my favorite additions are missing, and I really want Samsung to add them as soon as possible. Material Expressive I've always liked the design Samsung has used with One UI, but it feels like it's grown stale, even with the changes made in One UI 7. The UI on Pixels used to feel more clinical, and One UI was fun and bouncy, but I now get the impression that the two have traded places with the arrival of Android 16. Material 3 Expressive, stupid name aside, is a big step forward for Android, making it the leader in mobile design. Bright, bold colors and bouncy animations make Android 16 feel alive in a way that is joyous to use. It isn't perfect — I wish there were at least an option for more consistent widget shapes. That's a minor complaint, though, and overall, Android 16 with Material 3 Expressive is shaping up to be my favorite Android redesign yet, surpassing 4.4 KitKat. There is, of course, the question of how many apps will adopt the design language and how fast most of Google's apps will be updated to this new look, but the foundation is a strong one. Notification cooldown Ryan Haines / Android Authority Notification Cooldown is a feature that's (almost) perfect for those of us who get bombarded by a million notifications at a time, and also keep their ringer on. The way it works is pretty simple: As you receive several notifications in quick succession, the alerts will become quieter over a period of two minutes. After that time has elapsed, it returns to the volume it was on previously. Plus, it's smart about what notifications it silences and those it keeps alive. Phone calls and conversations it believes are high priority will still sound normal, as you'd want them to. It isn't perfect, though; I'd like to be able to adjust how long it keeps notifications quiet, rather than having a two-minute hard limit. Technically, Notification Cooldown was introduced in Android 15. However, Google added it in Android 15 QPR2, and OEMs like Samsung base their software on the major Android releases, not the QPR builds. Therefore, non-Pixel users should see Notification Cooldown arrive on their devices with Android 16, but there's a catch — the OEM can choose whether or not to include it. This may change in future One UI 8 betas, but sadly, Samsung has so far chosen not to enable Notification Cooldown. Given Samsung's other notification-related shenanigans of late, I don't imagine the company will include it in future builds, but I would love to be proved wrong. Honorable mention: Haptics Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority This is more of a Pixel-specific thing than Android 16, but it's my list, and I like haptics. Samsung's flagship devices have high-quality vibration motors. The problem is that these motors are underutilised. Pixels have used subtle vibrations in their UI for years now, and Android 16 has taken that to the next level. Swiping away notifications, scrolling through the overview screen, adjusting brightness and volume sliders, and using the fingerprint scanner all provide deliciously satisfying haptic feedback. One UI doesn't do any of that; it only provides a double vibration to the fingerprint scanner if it fails to unlock. Great haptics might seem minor, but once you get used to them on a phone like the Pixel 9 Pro, phones that don't provide that tactile feedback feel lifeless. Android 16 has been released for Pixels now, but One UI 8 is still on its second beta, so there's still time for Samsung to make some changes before it's finished. I won't hold my breath for any big changes that we haven't already seen, but you never know. Are there any Android 16 features you'd like to see in One UI? Let us know in the comments.
