Key Takeaways
1. Google may reveal a new version of Material Design at the I/O conference in May 2024.
2. The upcoming update is expected to be more “expressive” and enhance app engagement.
3. A developer’s post indicated features for a “Material3Expressive” theme, suggesting new design options for developers.
4. A redesign of the Settings app was showcased in Android 16 Beta 3, featuring new icon toggles and card format organization.
5. The update might be a minor enhancement to Material Design 3 rather than a complete redesign, with more details anticipated as the event approaches.
Google first launched its Material Design theme with Android 12 in 2021, introducing a dynamic color system that adapts hues from wallpapers throughout the operating system. It appears that a new version might be revealed during the I/O conference this coming May. This upcoming update is expected to offer a more “expressive” design for the OS, although specifics remain limited for now.
Possible Updates Uncovered
The potential enhancements to Material Design were identified by Android specialist Mishaal Rahman, who discovered a developer’s post regarding a “Material3Expressive” theme in the GitHub repository dedicated to Material Components for Android. A Google engineer commented on this, stating, “Material is experimenting with bringing developers ways to make their apps more engaging by introducing more expressive features. Stay tuned for more updates and guidance!” This indicates that an expressive update to Material Design is likely on the horizon, aimed at making applications more engaging, as noted by Rahman.
Redesigns and Features
Regarding the updates this version might introduce, a redesign of the Settings app was showcased in Android 16 Beta 3, featuring toggles that use an X or checkmark icon to show off/on statuses, as well as settings organized in card formats.
Additionally, Rahman discovered a patch from a month ago labeled “DO NOT SUBMIT I/O 2025 Expressive talk code demos” in the AOSP Gerrit, which included some new coding. While the title of this patch has been modified to remove the “I/O 2025” reference, it still contains “‘io_talk,” suggesting that a reveal at May’s Google I/O is likely.
Anticipation for Google I/O
Rahman mentions that this could merely be a minor update to the current Material Design 3 framework rather than a complete redesign. Google I/O is set for May 20, and as the date draws nearer, additional details about what to expect from the event are anticipated to emerge.
Source:
Link