Materials 3 Expressive brings what I really like about Android into the trendy day

For those who’re not absolutely on board the AI hype practice, I might perceive should you really feel that Android has misplaced its approach. When Google, Samsung, and Motorola are packing AI options into locations you by no means thought they might match, you’d be justified in asking, “Hey, what about us? What concerning the person expertise?” Gemini appears like a product Google is making an attempt to promote us, fairly than an answer to an issue. The previous couple of years of AI-focused updates have led me to grow to be apathetic about the way forward for Google, however at Google I/O 2025, we noticed that there is nonetheless some consideration for the person expertise in Google.

Admittedly, Google I/O 2025 was dominated by AI (once more). The function I am speaking about, Materials 3 Expressive, was truly proven off per week earlier in a separate presentation. This stunned me, because the extra I dive into this refresh of the Android UI, the extra I feel that is essentially the most constructive change to the Android UI in years. Here is why.

Materials 3 Expressive faucets into core human wants

A UI that’s satisfying and enjoyable to make use of

Main UI refreshes are nothing new for Android veterans. In 2014, Materials Design reinvented Android with a daring, minimalist design, which developed in 2021 with the brighter and extra customizable Materials You. Our response to those evolutions was principally constructive. Materials You stood out to us because it introduced all the weather of our cellphone collectively beneath a unified design language. Nevertheless, uniformity is the enemy of individualism, and as people, we want expression. Self-expression is linked to good psychological well being, connection, and well-being, however fashionable know-how is inherently against this very important human act. Materials You may need seemed wonderful on the floor, however its flat colours and uniformity felt chilly and impersonal. Google stumbled onto this realization due to a analysis intern in 2022 who was finding out person sentiment towards Materials Design. As described in Google’s weblog put up about the analysis behind Materials 3 Expressive, this realization led to key questions on what felt off about Materials Design.

Why did all these apps look so related? So boring? Wasn’t there room to dial up the feeling?

I am not naive sufficient to consider that Google all of the sudden has our psychological well-being at coronary heart. Materials 3 Expressive is simply one other angle Google is taking to verify we maintain shopping for and utilizing its services. However once in a while, the targets of companies and customers align.

Google states that “Expressive design makes you’re feeling one thing.” We wish to really feel one thing after we do one thing. It is a easy concept, and Google has run with it to create Materials 3 Expressive. And all indicators level in direction of success.

Materials 3 Expressive marries expressive design with customization

Minor customization updates can have an outsized affect

Human psychology apart for a second, let’s discuss customization. Whereas the road has grow to be considerably blurred in recent times, the most important cause to decide on Android over iOS stays freedom of alternative. You possibly can resolve which cellphone producer you need, which apps you employ, and what your software program seems like. Nevertheless, a lot of the customization choices hyped by Google lack the human contact we want. Themed icons are the latest instance of this. Whereas it was a neat option to take management of your app icons’ look, the consequence was a flat look that highlighted what made Materials You’re feeling inhuman.

Google hasn’t proven off all the brand new customization choices included with Materials 3 Expressive but, however two notable updates spotlight that Google is making nice strides in direction of serving to us customise our telephones for sensible and aesthetic causes.

A redesigned Pixel Wallpaper app homes an thrilling new function

Forward of Materials 3 Expressive got here information {that a} new Pixel Wallpaper app was within the works. Hidden in an Android 16 beta construct was a brand new menu within the app that confirmed off six accessible app icon shapes to select from. This would possibly seem to be a tiny change, but it surely’s a return to the early days of Android that I’ve lengthy desired.

This replace is nothing new for these of us who worth customization over all else. Apps that enable us to alter the looks and form of our app icons are a staple of the Play Retailer, they permit folks to create gorgeous residence screens. However I consider that you just should not have to dive into the Play Retailer to make your cellphone really feel yours, and this small change that harkens again to the glory days of Android customization is a sign that Google is heading in the right direction.

Sensible modifications are simply as necessary as aesthetic ones

Making our cellphone look the way in which we wish is all properly and good, but it surely’s the sensible customization choices which have the most important impact on our day-to-day experiences with our telephones. Google will now allow us to resize the Fast Settings tiles, permitting us to pack in 4 extra tiles within the notification shade. The uneven layouts now you can create are precisely what Google ought to allow us to do with our telephones.

The At a Look widget, a lurking presence on all Pixel telephones, can also be being redesigned. Google hasn’t but succumbed to our pleas to allow us to take away the At a Look and Search widgets, however the brand new, smaller At a Look widget permits us to pack in 4 extra apps on our residence display screen. A small change, however a welcome one.

Materials 3 Expressive combines expressive design with customization and helpful UI components

Extra info at a look

The explanation why I am enthusiastic about Materials 3 Expressive’s customization choices is that the consequence will likely be a cellphone that I discover extra helpful in each side. Even the modifications to Put on OS would possibly make me dig my Pixel Be careful of the cabinet it has been languishing in for months. To me, that is what Android customization is all about: making an Android cellphone that works for you, not the opposite approach round (Taking a look at you, iOS).

Useful UI redesign can also be on the way in which. Slightly than stable blocks for Wi-Fi and cell community indicators, Materials 3 Expressive introduces segmented icons for higher readability. The brand new horizontal battery icon additionally exhibits your battery share at a look, so that you needn’t open the notification shade.

None of those concepts are revolutionary. Segmented Wi-Fi and cell community indicators was once an Android staple, and the brand new battery icon is nearly an identical to the one on iOS. However they present Google is making an attempt to make an Android UI that works for us, fairly than prioritizing soulless minimalism beneath a veneer of innovation.

Materials 3 Expressive does not cease at your Android residence display screen

Google can also be updating its apps with Materials 3 Expressive. We have seen these modifications rolling out to Gmail amongst different apps. We will count on a whole Google app overhaul within the coming months.

However what I am wanting ahead to are the small customization modifications which have a huge impact. Permitting us to take management of the seemingly insignificant elements of our cellphone is what Android is about. Hopefully, we’ll see extra customization options revealed because the launch of Materials 3 Expressive comes nearer. You may also look ahead to this redesign in third-party apps.