Android Unveils Bold New Design Language: Material Three Expressive
In a move to revamp its mobile operating system, Android has officially announced its latest design language, dubbed Material Three Expressive. This fresh design direction is an evolution of the colourful and customisable Material You introduced with Android 12, and is set to bring a more youthful and vibrant feel to the platform.
According to a report from The Verge, the new design language features "springy animations, bold fonts, and vibrant colour absolutely everywhere." The update is expected to be available in an update to the Android 16 beta later this month. As The Verge notes, "It takes the colourful, customisable Material You introduced with Android 12 in an even more youthful direction."
One of the key features of the new design language is the Live Updates feature, which was introduced in an earlier Android 16 beta. This feature is Android’s take on Apple’s Live Activities, and allows for time-sensitive updates to be displayed in a persistent notification bar. However, unlike Apple, Android is limiting its use to food delivery, navigation, and rideshare apps. As The Verge reports, "Support for the Live Updates feature that Google introduced in an earlier Android 16 beta is nestled among the new design flourishes."
The new design language also brings significant changes to the way notifications are displayed on the lockscreen, always on display, in a status bar at the top of the screen, and on the notification shade. Quick settings are also set to receive an update, allowing users to resize and rearrange tiles in a nod to iOS. As The Verge notes, "Today’s announcement gives us a good look at how those notifications will appear on the lockscreen, always on display, in a status bar at the top of the screen, and on the notification shade. It looks pretty handy."
At the heart of the update is the new design language, which provides app designers with a range of new tools to work with. These include new icon shapes, type styles, and colour palettes, as well as animations that are designed to feel more "springy" and haptics that underline user actions. As The Verge reports, "App designers have new icon shapes, type styles, and colour palettes at their disposal. Animations are designed to feel more ‘springy,’ with haptics to underline your actions when you swipe a notification out of existence."
According to The Verge, Google’s blog post and documentation for developers insist that this new design language is not just a fresh coat of paint, but rather a thoughtful approach to guiding users’ attention. The bright purples and pinks featured throughout the company’s concept images certainly do the trick, and help boost the new design’s appeal with a younger demographic. As The Verge notes, "Google’s blog post and documentation for developers insist that this isn’t just a fresh coat of paint; the new design elements help guide users’ attention better."
The introduction of Material Three Expressive marks a significant step forward for Android, and is set to bring a fresh and vibrant feel to the platform. With its bold new design language and range of new features, Android is poised to take on the likes of iOS and provide users with a compelling alternative. As reported by The Verge, this update is set to be available in an update to the Android 16 beta later this month, and promises to bring a new level of excitement and engagement to the Android ecosystem.
