Google put a Android show Today he will offer a look at his next changes in the interface with Android 16, in addition to a series of Gemini news. Did not show any new device that runs the new aspect; Instead, Google offered advice to developers and an explanation of their general design philosophy. That philosophy seems very … purple.
The new expressive guidelines of material 3 require extensive use of color (especially purple and pink tones), new shapes in a variety of sizes, new effects of movement when taking measures and new visual signals that group and contain elements on the screen.
Google says that he has investigated more about this design review than any other design work he has done, since he brought his android material design philosophy in 2014. He claims to have conducted 46 studies with more than 18,000 participants, but, frankly, I am not an UX designer, so I do not know if that is much.
Google’s expressive material is the new Android 16 aspect
After all that work, Google has landed in this: expressive material 3. The most notable characteristics, once you exceed bright and, youth colors, are the new effects of movement.
For example, when it slides to rule out a notification, the object that is sliding will be clear, while other objects will blur slightly, which makes it easy to see. The other nearby notifications will move slightly as your neighbor slips. Basically, there will be much more organic aspect in the interface, especially in the blows and control levers.
There will also be new types integrated in Android 16, with the ability to create variable or static sources. Google is adding 35 more forms to its interface library for developers to build, along with an enlarged range of default colors.
Google did not say that his new expressive design language of Material 3 was pointing to iPhone fans, but the clues are there. The next version of Android will not look cleaner and more organized, instead, Google wants to connect with users at an ’emotional’ level. According to Google’s own research, the group that loves this new aspect is 18 to 24 years, that is, the most unconditional fans base of the iPhone.
In its official blog post, Google says: “It’s time to go beyond ‘clean’ and ‘boring’ designs to create interfaces that connect with people on an emotional level.” That connection seems to be much stronger among young people. Google says that all age groups preferred the new expressive aspect of material 3, but young people aged 18 to 24 were 87% in favor of the new aspect.
The Apple iPhone fans base is stronger in this age group, if not in the generation that is even younger. It makes sense that Google is making great changes in Android. In fact, this update may be late. We have not seen many new inspiring features in smartphones since they began to bend, and folding phones have not been invested exactly. I am surprised that Google waited so much to improve the software, since there was no great hardware innovation in the pipe (temperature sensors, someone?).
Expressive material 3 is reaching more than just Android phones
The new expressive aspect of material 3 will not be limited to Android 16. Google says that Wear OS 6 will obtain a similar design update, with more colors, movement and adaptable buttons that change shape depending on the screen of their watch.
Wear clocks can also use dynamic color issues, as are Android phones. Start with an image or photo and use the operating system that will create a matching topic for your clock to complement what you see.
Even Google applications will begin to be more expressive. Google says that applications such as Google Photos and Maps will get an update in the coming months that will make them look more to Android 16.
Google lends some iPhone functions for Android 16, including a block mode
Google also demonstrated live updates, a new feature that borrows from the iPhone to show it the progress of events such as an Uber Eats delivery. The iPhone does it on the dynamic Island, and Google is adding this function to the upper part of the Android 16 screen.
Security was a great focus of the Android program, starting with new protections against calls and scams of text messages. Google is ensuring its phones against some common scammer tactics. For example, scammers could call being of their bank and could ask you to solve an application.
With Android 16, you can not disable the Play Protect application of Google or Sideload any application while in a phone call. Nor can you give permission to accessibility functions, a common solution to obtain back door access to a phone.
Google’s messages will also be smarter about text messages. It will filter scam messages that ask you to pay for expired toll road rates or try to sell cryptography.
Google is also allowing advanced protection, its own version of the Apple block mode, on Android 16. Advanced protection is a super high security mode that offers the highest level of protection against attacks, either through wireless or physically through the USB port.
Basically, if you are a journalist, an elected official or some other public figure and believe that a government is trying to hack your phone, Google’s advanced protection should completely block your phone against external threats.
If you don’t need so much security, but you still want more peace of mind, Google is improving your old Find My Device function. Android 16 will present the FIND Hub, which will be a much more robust location to track all its devices, including Android phones, portable devices and accessories that use ultra wide (UWB), similar to Apple Airtags.
Google is introducing new UWB capabilities to help find objects nearby, and will be deployed on the Motorola motorcycle label first in the coming months. The new Find Hubo can also use satellite connectivity to help locate devices and keep informed users. In addition, if you lose your luggage, Google is working directly with certain airlines as British Airways to allow you to share your label information so they can look for the bag they lost.
Gemini comes to your car … and your TV … and your watch, and …
Today’s Android program was not all about Android. Google also made some large ads about Google Gemini. Gemini is reaching many more devices. Gemini comes to use OS watches. Gemini comes to Android Auto and cars that run Google natively.
Gemini comes to Google TV. Gemini even comes to Android XR from Google, a platform for XR glasses that still do not exist (or at least you cannot buy them). For a brief moment in the Android show, we glimpse the possible next Google glasses.
You can talk to Gemini Live and have a conversation in your car on its way to work. “Hello Gemini, I need advice to ask my boss a promotion!” Or ‘Hello Gemini, why is my life so empty that I am talking to a machine in my car when I could be listening to music or a true crime podcast?
I can sound like an AI skeptic, but Google’s suggestions are equally dystopic. Google says that on the way to his reading club, he could ask Gemini to summarize that book he reads years ago (and mostly forgot it) and suggest discussion issues. That doesn’t sound like a reading club I want to join.
Google offered no specific time for any of the characteristics mentioned in the Android program, and only said that these concepts would appear in the coming months. It is unusual for Google to share so many news before the Google I/O, which takes place from May 20 to 21 near its HQ in Mountain View, ca. I will be on the scene on Google I/or with our news chief Jake Krol to gather anything new.
With the launch of Pixel 9a it was already approved, and now the Android team shedding all the beans, I suspect that Google I/or will be mainly from AI. Google is taking out these things from the road so that you do not waste time asking about new phones when you want to talk more about Gemini and all the new developments of AI. Or maybe, even better, the news of Android Xr today was just a clue of what is to come. Be attentive, we’ll know more next week!
