Google is updating its Phone app with a new interface designed to make it easier to find contacts and manage calls. The revamped app is being tested by some public beta users, and includes style changes that align with Android’s newer Material 3 Expressive design language.
The main change is the simplified bottom menu bar, now featuring just three options: Home, Keypad, and Voicemail. Under the new Home tab, favorites are displayed in a bubble format at the top of the screen, accompanied by a call log list that shows each individual call entry separately.
Google is also introducing a new gesture to allow users to answer or decline calls by swiping horizontally. The company hopes this feature will reduce accidental declines or answers while removing the phone from one’s pocket.
Additionally, the app features visual updates, such as a more whimsical circle around incoming contacts on the call page. These changes are part of Google’s broader efforts to roll out Android 16’s Material 3 Expressive redesign in September, which was initially launched without its new design.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/691960/google-phone-app-material-3-expressive-redesign-android