Google has been making significant visual updates to its apps recently, particularly with the Phone app. In June, some users began noticing changes, but these were limited to beta testers.
As of now, it appears the update is being rolled out more broadly, with reports from various staff members at AP, myself included, confirming the new look on their devices. This latest update features the Material 3 Expressive design and seems to be accessible to most users.
It is available on different models, including multiple Pixel devices and at least one Xiaomi phone. This rollout supports stable Android 16 and the newest QPR1 beta, making it widely expected to reach many users shortly.
Among the updates are several visual enhancements, such as animated contact photos displayed within a squiggly circle during calls. The app’s layout has also undergone some reorganization for better usability.
The bottom menu has been simplified from four to three tabs, relocating Favorites to a drop-down menu at the top of the Recents view. Additionally, the Recents tab now includes a filter menu at the top, allowing users to sort their call history by categories like All, Missed, Contacts, Non-Spam, and Spam.
In terms of settings, users can now choose between two methods for managing incoming calls. By default, the app introduces a horizontal swipe gesture to answer or decline calls.
Alternatively, users can select discrete buttons for these actions. Google has moved away from the traditional vertical swipe method due to issues with accidental inputs when retrieving the phone from a pocket.
This update is rolling out widely, but if you haven’t received it yet, you can try downloading the latest version from the Play Store or APKMirror.
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