Google Revamps App Suite with Material 3 Expressive: Photos, Fitbit, Meet, and Chat Get a Makeover
Google is doubling down on its commitment to a more vibrant and engaging user experience with the rollout of Material 3 Expressive, a significant design overhaul impacting several key apps. Following its unveiling at I/O 2025 and The Android Show, the new design language is poised to transform how users interact with Google Photos, Fitbit, Meet, and Chat. The updates promise a more colorful, intuitive, and “emotional” connection with the apps we use every day. Let's dive into the details:
Google Photos: Expressing Memories with a Heart
Google Photos is set to receive a visually striking update. Tipster AssembleDebug discovered code indicating a redesign of the Memory cards, featuring a heart-shaped cutout to showcase glimpses of your precious moments. This isn't just a cosmetic change; it's a deliberate effort to make Memories more engaging and personalized. The app will also lean more heavily on your Material You color palette, ensuring a consistent and customized experience.
Furthermore, Google is rethinking how backups work in Photos, providing clearer and more transparent visual cues. A new UI displays continuous backup status messages, showing progress and estimated completion time. These changes aim to take the guesswork out of backups and provide greater peace of mind. The Google Photos icon will appear in the top left corner, along with messages indicating whether backup is turned off, complete, or in progress.
Fitbit: Gemini Integration and Playful Motion
For fitness enthusiasts, the Fitbit app is getting a fresh coat of paint with Material 3 Expressive. A prominent (FAB) floating action button for Gemini will be added, allowing users to ask questions about their stats and trends. This integrates AI-powered insights directly into your fitness tracking experience. The video player UI is also being revamped, featuring large buttons with playful animations.
Meet and Chat: A Unified Communication Experience
Google Meet is adopting a large, pill-shaped button to “Join” calls, emphasizing a more vibrant use of color. Meanwhile, Google Chat is already utilizing a new floating toolbar. It remains to be seen exactly how this will function, but it's likely to provide quick access to critical actions within the app.
Android 16's Expressive Foundation
The Material 3 Expressive redesign is deeply intertwined with Android 16. The new UI will change how users interact with the OS, with the notification shade and quick toggle section receiving significant revamps. Gmail is also slated for a major overhaul to align with the Expressive design language.
While a specific release date for these changes remains unconfirmed, the unveiling of Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 after I/O 2025 suggests that the rollout could be imminent.
The updates to Google Photos, Fitbit, Meet, and Chat are more than just cosmetic tweaks. They represent a strategic shift towards a more visually engaging and emotionally resonant user experience. By embracing Material 3 Expressive, Google aims to create a more cohesive and intuitive ecosystem across its diverse range of apps and services.
What are your thoughts on Google's Material 3 Expressive redesign? Which app are you most excited to see updated? Share your opinions in the comments below!
