OPINION: Android 16 isn’t too far off, with Google set to release the next major version of Android to Pixel devices in June – and it’s set to be more exciting than usual.
That’s because Google has revealed a major user interface update as part of the Android 16 update, all bundled under the Material 3 Expressive banner.
It’s certainly an exciting idea as the core Android experience has looked same-y for a number of years now, and it’s beginning to look a little dated compared to recently updated smartphone UIs from the likes of Apple, Samsung and even OnePlus.
It looks like Google’s approach was refreshingly simple, too. It conducted many research studies and interviewed more than 18,000 people using technology like eye tracking to help understand how users interact with their phones and how to improve that experience.
The result is what Google calls Material 3 Expressive.
Material 3 Expressive brings a much-needed facelift
The UI updates permeate practically every area of the Android 16 experience.
That starts with a bunch of new UI shapes and, more importantly, shape-morphing transitions. This allows, say, a circle to transition into a square during an animation, making the OS feel more dynamic, especially when combined with a new spring-based motion system that allows nearby UI elements to ‘react’ to animations.
There is also a range of revamped components and new UI elements to take advantage of the new shapes and transitions, present both in the software itself and in apps.
Google’s dynamic theming system has also had a facelift. It’ll still be based on your wallpaper, but it’ll offer better contrast and richer colour palettes to make the interface look more vibrant and enticing. It should also do a better job at separating primary and secondary elements than the current system, making it easier to tell what’s important on-screen at a glance.
App icon shape customisation is also set for a comeback, following its removal with the launch of Android 12. With the new update, you’ll be able to choose from six different icon shapes including the standard circle alongside square, ‘four-sided cookie’ and other shapes.
There’s also a redesigned Settings app aimed at improving overall navigation and visual clarity. The reintroduction of coloured icons, redesigned toggles, tweaked headers, and more should not only pack more information onto the page at once but also make the sometimes overwhelming Settings app easier to navigate.
There’s also a refreshed status bar, with changes to the Wi-Fi signal icon, battery icon, and even the text and spacing. It’s not a complete overhaul, but in leaked screenshots, it looks cleaner and more manageable.
Changes are also headed to the notification shade, with a split notification and quick control panels similar to iOS and third-party Android skins like MagicOS and HyperOS. Smaller elements, like the volume slider, will also look slightly different to match the new Expressive design language.
Other non-UI updates include the introduction of Live Updates, the ability to stack widgets, get notification summaries, add widgets to your lock screen, programmable power key functions and more.
These aren’t new in any shape or form – it’s more Google playing catch-up with not only Apple but third-party Android skins – but it’s great to see them appear on the stock Android operating system in the near future.
The problem? It won’t matter for millions of Android users
Here’s the kicker: millions of Android users won’t see these shiny new upgrades. Why? Simply put, only a small handful of manufacturers offer stock Android on their smartphones.
You’ll certainly be getting it on recent iterations of Google’s Pixel range, and it will more than likely make it to future Motorola phones that run near-stock Android. However, if you’re rocking a Samsung, Honor, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo or any other phone that doesn’t run stock Android, you’re almost certainly out of luck.
Samsung utilises its own spin on Android dubbed OneUI, and it’s pretty far from the stock Android experience. Samsung has customised most elements of the UI to make its phones look more unique, as well as bake in Samsung-exclusive features not available on stock Android.
It’s a similar story with Honor’s MagicOS, Xiaomi’s HyperOS, OnePlus’ OxygenOS, Oppo’s ColorOS and most other third-party skins – and that means they won’t rush to implement stock Android design changes on upcoming releases.
That’s not to say they won’t be present in some shape or form. Some manufacturers could bake some aspects of Google’s Material 3 Expressive design language into their upcoming releases. Still, you likely won’t get the complete package unless you’re a Pixel or Motorola user.
It’s the main reason Android updates aren’t as exciting as iOS alternatives; where iOS updates come to all supported iPhones on the same day, and run the same software (for the most part), the Android software experience is fractured.
Not only is the software rollout much slower, with some phones like the Galaxy S24 only just getting Android 15 despite rolling out last August, but the look and feel of the software can vary massively between manufacturers.
Even if you do have a Pixel phone, it won’t be available as part of the initial rollout of Android 16 in June. Instead, it’ll come later this year, with Google confirming that Pixel devices will be the first to offer the Material 3 Expressive update once it’s ready for prime time.
Still, it’s exciting to see a refreshed UI coming to Pixels sometime soon as, compared to third-party skins, it was starting to look a little dated.
