Android's Big Makeover: What's New and What's Next

Google is working on a major update for the Android interface. This update is not yet available in the latest beta version, and it's unclear when it will be released. The changes are part of a new design language called Material 3 Expressive, which Google plans to unveil at an upcoming developer conference. The status bar is getting a facelift. Icons for Wi-Fi, mobile data, airplane mode, and battery level have been tweaked. The Wi-Fi and mobile data icons are now segmented, while the 5G and airplane mode icons are bolder. The battery icon is more colorful, with a green background when charging and a red background when low. The text clock font is slightly larger and bolder, making it easier to read at a glance. The notifications and Quick Settings panel is also getting a redesign. Google had previously considered splitting these into separate pages, but it seems they are now keeping them combined. The new design includes resizable Quick Settings tiles, new one-click toggles for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, a more organized tile editor, and one-click shortcuts for adding or removing tiles. The panel also has a blurred background, which gives it a frosted glass appearance in light mode and a darker gray appearance in dark mode. The blur effect is not limited to the Quick Settings panel. It also appears in the Pixel Launcher’s app drawer, the recents menu, and the PIN entry screen. These areas currently use a solid light or dark gray background, depending on the system theme. The lock screen is getting a cleaner, more compact layout. The date and weather information have been moved below or beside the clock, and the contextual information complication has been relocated. The lock screen also has a new compact notification shelf, which collapses notifications into small, transparent chips. This view is not enabled by default, but it can be turned on in the settings. The volume and media output UI are also getting a redesign. The thick, pill-shaped sliders have been replaced with thinner ones that include distinct handles. The volume slider that appears when you press a volume key is also changing, with a less rounded design and a thin rectangular handle. The media output switcher has also been redesigned, with the “Connect a device” button moved higher and the volume slider swapped for the newer thin style. The Settings app is getting a significant redesign to align with the new Material 3 Expressive design language. This overhaul will introduce colorful icons, newer Material Design 3 switches, and separate cards for each menu item. The page header will also appear at the very top by default, allowing more items to be visible immediately when entering a settings page. Lastly, Google is introducing new icon shape options for the Pixel Launcher. While you won't be able to fully customize the icon shapes, you will be able to choose from five new options, including square, four-sided cookie, seven-sided cookie, arch, and complex clover. The default icon shape is still a circle, but these new options include less rounded shapes as well as more complex geometric ones. It's important to note that these changes are not yet enabled by default in the latest beta version, and it's unclear when they will be released. However, Google has confirmed that it will unveil the new Material 3 Expressive design language at an upcoming developer conference, so we should learn more about these changes soon.