Google isrumored to be working ona system-wide overhaul of the look and feel of its Android operating system, in what is shaping up to be the next evolution of its Material Design UI framework. Inan exclusive report from Android Authority, Android sleuth Mishaal Rahman has uncovered hidden elements of this so-called ‘expressive’ redesign in the latest Beta 4 build of the soon-to-be-releasedAndroid 16.
The most striking visual change has got to be the system-wide adoption of translucency across surfaces like the app drawer, the notification and quick settings pane, and the recent apps screen. Other changes include new status bar icons, new sliders and toggles, tweaks to the lock screen, colorful glyphs within the Settings app, and more.
Aside from changes to the aesthetic elements of Android, Rahman has alsouncovered a set of new animationshidden under-the-hood in Android 16 Beta 4. These new animations appear to be bouncier and more playful, with additional rubber banding and responsive UI elements that react to being touched. For example, tapping thelock screenclock will cause it to flex slightly, and there’s a new power button long-press animation that ‘squeezes’ the screen slightly inward when initiated.
These changes all appear to be part of a broader effort to refresh the look and feel of the Android OS at large. Google is expected to unveil this next-generation version of Material Design at a dedicatedThe Android Show: I/O Editionevent on May 13, ahead of the full developer-focusedI/O conferencetaking place from May 20 through May 21 of this year.
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Android is about to get more expressive
In my opinion, the translucency and blurs take away from the Pixel UI’s identity
So far, I’m not in love with the visual changes I’m seeing in this early look at Android’s next redesign. For me, the added emphasis on blurry translucent user interface elements is a step backward from the existing opaque look I’ve come to know and love. I feel the change takes away from the uniqueness of Google’s Pixel interface, opting instead to conform to the looks of Apple’s iOS, Samsung’sOne UI, and otherthird-party Android skins.
I’ve always appreciated Google’s deliberate attempt to create an interface that is distinct from the rest, and I’ve grown to really enjoy the subtle tinting effect found in the app drawer, the notification pane, the recent apps screen, and other major UI surfaces. By contrast, this redesign just feels like an emulation of every other mobile operating system or skin currently out there.
…the new line-style system sliders are eye-catching and pleasing to look at.
I’m also not the biggest fan of the Settings app redesign. Its new segmented approach might prove easier for quickly scanning through available options, but it (subjectively) takes an aesthetic leap back from the previous version. The new status bar icons feel equally uninspired to me, and the new lock screen weather and date location is a superfluous design change at best.
There’s only one element of this refresh that I feel is a genuine visual improvement over its previous incarnation: the new line-style system sliders are eye-catching and pleasing to look at. I also welcome Google’s new ‘expressive’ animations with open arms: I love playful software that feels alive and responsive, and even in this pre-official state, these animations look reasonably refined when in motion.
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This new look might well grow on me with time
When it comes to operating systems, I’m resistant to change
I’ll be the first to admit that, like most people, I’m resilient to change when it comes to the look and feel of an operating system. I’ve always been weary of change for the sake of change, though I recognize that by their very nature, design trends are dynamic and ever-evolving.
Looking back, I remember being unenthused by the changes made to Android back in its version 9 release, preferring the older style ofMaterial Designfrom the Android 5.0 Lollipop and 6.0 Marshmallow days. Going back even further, I was initially reluctant to update my phone from 4.4 Kit Kat to 5.0 Lollipop in 2014, viewing the removal of Android’s Tron-esque Holo theme as a tragic loss to the platform’s identity.
Of course, if I had it my way, Android would probably still feature an interface reminiscent of that of a graphing calculator rather than a modern mobile OS. In other words, I’ve come to grips with the fact that change is a necessary part of life, despite my deep-seated hesitance to accept it. I love the currentMaterial You aestheticthat Google has been working with since Android 12, but the company was always going to press forward in the long run.
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Rumor has it Apple is gearing up to refresh the look of iOS and iPadOS
Not to be outdone by Google and its Android platform, the rumor mill is pointing towards a fairly major redesign also being worked on over at Apple HQ.According to several leaks, the company plans to graft the glassy UI from the Vision Pro headset onto its iPhones and iPads. This design refresh will reportedly incorporate a more dynamic styling that responds to the color palette of your wallpaper, in addition to the more substantial (and highly controversial) change ofrounding the home screen icons.
Given the relative maturity of mobile operating systems, the prospect of a double-whammy of Android and iOS design refreshes in a single year wasn’t on my bingo card. In many ways, 2025 is shaping up to be the year of the operating system refresh. I just hope the tweaks remain visual in nature; Apple learned the hard way that people don’t like change when itredesigned its Photos applast year, and I’d hate for Google to follow in Cupertino’s footsteps and fumble out of the gate with Android 16.
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