Google accidentally showed the Android 16 interface — what is Material 3 Expressive?

Google has accidentally revealed details of the new Android 16 — Material 3 Expressive interface, which is being prepared for an official presentation at the I/O conference. In a blog post that quickly disappeared from public access (but a copy remained in the Internet Archive), the company talked about the redesign of the system, based on research and taking into account the emotional perception of users. The new style promises a brighter, more energetic look for Android and is focused on the speed of interaction with the interface. Let’s take a closer look.

So, a new version of Android 16 will be released soon, and it will look completely different from what users expected. Although Google hasn’t made any major changes to Material Design lately, the design team hasn’t been sitting idle. The publication said that the company has been working on a new Android design for the last 3 years, which should evoke more emotions in users. The original Material Design worked well with colors and a unified style, but it made many apps look too similar. Material 3 Expressive is designed to solve this problem.

Google calls this update «the most researched design system update». They conducted 46 separate studies on it, showed hundreds of mockups to more than 18 thousand participants to understand how the new interface works in real use. The research covered a variety of methods:

• Gaze tracking — where users focus their attention;
• Surveys and focus groups — what emotions design evokes;
• Experiments — what people find attractive;
• Usability tests — how quickly people navigate the interface.

The result of this three-year effort is an interface that is significantly different from previous versions of Material Design. The images that have been saved from the deleted publication show new elements such as a floating toolbar and larger buttons that are easier to click and do not interfere with other parts of the interface.

Bright shapes and rich colors have appeared all over the interface. And it’s not just for show. During tests, the new design helped users find and use important elements four times faster. But there’s a caveat: not everyone uses apps in the same way. If your priorities differ from Google’s vision, the new style may be a bit annoying.

Research has also shown that most users prefer Material 3 Expressive. However, a lot depends on age. Among young people, more than 80% of respondents said that the new style is better. But in the 55+ age group, only 52% supported this opinion. Google also noted that the new design looks «cooler than previous versions.

So, this new leak confirms that Android 16 will receive a look and feel update. However, not everyone will be able to take advantage of these new bright elements. Since Android — is an open platform, it’s up to each device manufacturer to decide whether to use the new design elements. What Google offers may not necessarily be implemented in other companies’ smartphones. Many develop their own shells, such as Samsung One UI or OnePlus Oxygen OS. Therefore, in some cases, the new version of Android 16 may look almost the same as Android 15. Some elements of Material 3 Expressive may appear in third-party shells, but the full experience will only be available on Pixel smartphones. They will receive system elements with a new design, and most Google apps will be updated to match it.

Material 3 Expressive will be used not only in the OS interface or pre-installed applications. Google will also provide design templates to third-party app developers, so they can maintain a bright, dynamic style on any device. But so far, even Material Design hasn’t been widely used in third-party apps. Often, you can see only certain elements — colors or buttons — but almost no one implements the full Google style.

Google plans to release a stable version of Android 16earlier than usual. Earlier it was reported that Android 16 may receiveprofessional settings for photographers and will allow you to unlock Google Pixel with your fingerprint with the screen turned off.

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Source: arstechnica