The rollout of the Material 3 Expressive redesign is underway across Google’s ecosystem. This update is visible in the latest Android 16 QPR1 beta as well as in key applications such as Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Photos. Additionally, Google Chrome for Android is receiving expressive updates, particularly in its tab group feature. In Chrome Canary, tab group colors are now applied to the whole card, making it easier for users to differentiate between them.
These design changes in Chrome, including updated icons in the overflow menu, are anticipated to be accessible to all users in the stable version of Chrome 139 by late July. As the Material 3 Expressive redesign spreads, it is evident that Google is aligning its operating system and applications with a cohesive design language. The Android 16 QPR1 beta serves as an unlocking point for this new aesthetic at the operating system level. Many of Google’s core applications, including Google Messages, are expected to adopt this redesign, ensuring a consistent user experience.
Notable browser expert @Leopeva64 on X (Twitter) has pointed out that expressive Material 3 design elements are surfacing in Chrome Canary, with the rollout planned for the coming month. A significant enhancement with the new tab group feature is its ability to allow users to name groups and assign colors. Previously, colors were displayed as small dots, but the update will extend these colors to cover the entire tab group card, making identification much simpler. While this feature is live for some users, the naming menu still shows dots instead of the anticipated pill shapes.
With Chrome 139 set for stable release on July 30, users can expect these updates to arrive shortly, along with additional changes aimed at refining the user interface.
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