On: Material 3 Expressive

Okay so I’ve been checking out a little bit of what’s new in Android 16, namely Material 3 Expressive and honestly I think this is a really great move from Google.

Check out MKBHD’s video for a fun overview

Now, I don’t own an Android phone, have never owned an Android phone, am really not interested in switching to Android at this point, but I do appreciate the operating system and will be getting a Pixel as I continue my work on bringing my apps, Routines and Just. Weather., over to Android in the future.

I’ve really appreciated a lot of Google’s design on Android in the past few years and this boost in interaction design is something I’ve really wanted out of my technology. There are other places where I’ve found this kind of ‘living’ interaction design that uses a lot of reactive animations and haptics in other places like Arc Search as well as the ChatGPT app.

I find this kind of interaction design incredibly satisfying because it helps make the device feel alive and more personal. It’s something that isn’t in your face like a social media trend, it’s something thoughtful and timeless, which is what good design is all about. There are small little bits and pieces everywhere that most people won’t notice or appreciate, but they just bring the design full circle.

Things like how the notifications react when you slide them away to how the little weather widget in the corner is more thoughtfully designed to the lock screen transitions all work together to make the device feel like more than just a slab of glass and metal. It shows that there are people who care about the little things. It’s the YKK zipper or the Neutrik connector of the UI world and I’m here for it.

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