Google is set to unveil its next evolution of the Material Design design language, dubbed Material 3 Expressive, at Google I/O 2025. The new design language aims to improve the Android user experience with several key changes.
At the heart of Material 3 Expressive are subtle yet significant updates to the Settings app, which has undergone a redesign in the Android 16 Beta 3 launch. This update features clearly separated boxes for sub-menu items, arrows to indicate sub-menus, checkmarks to show when a toggle is on, smaller font sizes for headings, and better use of white space.
These changes aim to make it easier for users to quickly find settings and information they need. The redesign also suggests that Material 3 Expressive may be a tweaking of Material Design 3 rather than a drastic redesign.
Other notable updates include the introduction of clear indicators of switch settings, a shift away from muted color palettes to useful indicators, and a fresh approach to themed icons. This new design language aims to break free from the minimalism that has characterized previous versions of Material Design.
Google’s goal for Material 3 Expressive is to “boost engagement, usability, and desire for your product” through its emotional design patterns. The presentation at Google I/O 2025 will focus on teaching UX designers how to use these new design patterns to improve their products.
While the specifics of what can be expected from Material 3 Expressive are still unclear, one thing is certain: this new design language promises to bring a fresh wave of innovation to the Android user experience.
Source: https://www.androidpolice.com/things-we-want-for-the-new-expressive-material-design-3