Wear OS Google Messages get Material 3 vibrant redesign
The world of Wear OS just got a fresh new look, as the M3 Expressive redesign is being introduced with the beta release of Google Messages for Wear OS. This redesign aligns with the Material 3 design language seen on Android phones, focusing on subtle adjustments to shapes, colors, and interface elements to provide a more visually appealing and coherent user experience.
Key features and updates in this M3 Expressive redesign for Google Messages on Wear OS are:
- Adoption of Material 3 Expressive visuals, which emphasize a more vibrant and dynamic look while maintaining clarity and usability.
- Slight changes in UI element shapes that enhance aesthetics without drastically changing functionality.
- The conversation view now features emoji, microphone, and keyboard buttons as pills and placed in a container for easy access and clear separation.
- Call, View people, Delete conversation, and Open on phone are also presented as pills for the same reasons.
- The Details page is undergoing a redesign as part of this update.
Google Messages for Wear OS is also testing a new read receipts feature, displaying checkmarks in a circle. However, this feature is not yet available on phones.
In addition to these visual and UI refinements, Google Messages is addressing a redesign complaint by providing separate camera and gallery access. The Google Phone app will likely adopt the pill format for numbers, similar to how tapping "Start chat" and opening the dialer reveals numbers in pills.
Google Messages is also rolling out Delete for everyone, Snooze notifications, and more features. Suggested replies (Yes, No, OK) are now grouped together instead of being standalone buttons, making the interface cleaner and more intuitive.
This redesign is a straightforward visual refresh rather than a complete overhaul, primarily aiming to modernize the Wear OS Google Messages app to match the rest of the Android ecosystem's Material 3 Expressive style. The release appears to be part of Google's gradual rollout of M3 Expressive UI updates across Wear OS apps to create a unified and engaging interface experience.
Wearable devices and gadgets, such as smartwatches, are set to exhibit a more vibrant and dynamic appearance with the M3 Expressive redesign, as they'll adopt the Material 3 Expressive visuals, a part of the redesign for Google Messages on Wear OS. This modernization aims to align Wear OS technology with the Material 3 design language seen on Android phones.
