Weekend Poll: How Are You Feeling About Android's Upcoming Redesign?

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5 things we want for the new “expressive” Material Design 3

How do you feel about Android’s leaked upcoming redesign?

Visual overhauls in tech can present a pretty tough balancing act. On one hand, customers love seeing something fresh and new. It can drive them to want to update, whether that’s hammering the software button in settings or ordering all-new hardware. On the other hand, practically everyone hates change on some level, whether they’ll admit it or not. Even the best OS overhauls usually come with your fair share of complaints. From iOS 7 to Windows 11, there’s no shortage of “bad” or “controversial” UI changes.

Android has, surprisingly, avoided the worst of these. It’s not to say that Google hasn’t implemented changes that users have found frustrating — the “Internet” quick settings tile replacing dedicated Wi-Fi and cellular data options, for example. Rather, practically every time Google unveils a new look for Android, whether we’re talking 2011’s Tron-inspired Ice Cream Sandwich, 2014’s Android 5 Lollipop, or 2021’s Android 12 and Material You, it’s always been met with some level of appreciation and excitement for what’s new to the table.

I think part of that sense of understanding and acceptance comes from Android’s inherent customizability. Not only is it possible to change some — albeit not all, at least without root — of the aspects of Google’s software that you might not like, but the existence of third-party OEM skins, no matter how relatively light, allows you to move elsewhere if you don’t like a change. If you didn’t like Material You’s debut back in 2021, moving to One UI was an easy way to downplay plenty of those changes. Likewise, if you don’t like how One UI 7 looks and feels, maybe moving back to Pixel is in your best favor.

I say all of this, of course, because we seem to be on the precipice of another Android redesign. This week, Mishaal Rahman at Android Authority put together an incredibly in-depth look at the changes he’s found hidden within Android 16 Beta 4, all of which point to a Material 3 Expressive-themed look for Pixel later this year. Rahman says not to expect this UI as part of Android 16, despite being found within Google’s latest build. But considering we’re getting two fresh OS upgrades for Android this year, this could be the refresh rolling out closer to the Pixel 10’s launch.

This isn’t the dramatic overhaul some might have expected for the AI age, but it’s not not that either. Even in this early state, Google has seemingly touched every aspect of the OS, no matter how minor. The lock screen’s been rearranged, placing the date and weather in a much more sensible location. The settings menu has a splash of color that helps to show off Google’s new font. The status bar looks more in line with Samsung and OnePlus, as does the quick settings menu, which has been entirely overhauled to support split pages and a new semi-opaque backdrop.

While we have yet to see Android’s new look in all its official glory, I think Rahman’s reporting has enough changes contained within it to warrant a strawpoll. How are you feeling about this early look at Google’s new flavor of Android? Is it cohesive enough for you to give a tentative thumbs-up to, or are you looking at this and dreading whenever this overhaul hits your Pixel later this year? You’ll have to sound off on those thoughts in the comments below, as I’ve kept this week’s poll choices refreshingly (if I do say so myself) brief.