Google has lifted the veil on significant updates coming to the Android ecosystem later this year, marking the beginning of its I/O 2025 season. Android, the world’s most popular operating system powering over three billion devices across more than 190 countries, is set to receive a major refresh with announcements centred around a design refresh for Android 16 and Wear OS 6, expanded AI capabilities with Gemini, and comprehensive security enhancements.
A central theme of the upcoming updates is a major design refresh for both Android 16 and Wear OS 6, dubbed “Material 3 Expressive,” which builds upon the Material You principles introduced in 2021. Google aims to make interfaces more engaging, intuitive, and emotionally resonant through strategic use of motion, colour, and shape.
“Material 3 Expressive is an expansion of new components and capabilities designed to add motion to product UIs,” explained Mindy Brooks, Senior Director of Product and User Experience on the Android team. “The goal is to provide a more premium and engaging experience that’s easier to use, creating a little more joy in those key interactions.”
This design philosophy is backed by extensive research, 46 studies involving over 18,000 participants, making it Google’s most researched design system update to date. The research revealed that users strongly prefer these expressive designs, finding interfaces easier to navigate and spotting key UI elements up to four times faster. Notably, the design helps older users locate elements as quickly as younger users.
Wear OS 6 receives similar treatment with design elements specifically crafted for round watch displays, including fluid scrolling animations that trace the display’s curvature, space-efficient buttons that hug the screen’s edge, and dynamic colour theming that extends across the entire system.
“Every motion detail has been thoughtfully crafted,” said Brooks, adding that these updates would “arrive later this year on Pixel devices first.”
The new Wear OS also promises improved performance and power optimisation, delivering up to 10% more battery life.
Android is significantly strengthening its safety and security features to protect users from increasingly sophisticated threats. Stella Lo, Senior Product Manager on the Android platform team, emphasised that Android is “constantly evolving to help keep you safe from the unexpected.”
Key security enhancements include:
Google is evolving its Find My Device feature into Find Hub, designed as a comprehensive solution for tracking devices, tags, and sharing locations with loved ones.
“You can check if loved ones got home safely or share your location during a night out,” said Lo.
Ed Fernandez, Google spokesperson for Find Hub, confirmed it will roll out to “all Android devices simultaneously,” rather than being a Pixel-first release. The platform supports a growing list of Bluetooth tag partners, including July, Mokobara, Peak, and Pixbee, with UWB-enabled tags like the Moto Tag.
The Find Hub will gain satellite connectivity later this year, enabling users to stay connected even without cellular service. Early next year, partnerships with airlines including British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Singapore Airlines will help travellers recover lost luggage through shared Bluetooth tag locations.
“We want Android to respond to you—visually, functionally, and emotionally,” Brooks said. “This is just the beginning.”
These announcements represent Google’s continued commitment to enhancing the Android experience through design, AI integration across various devices, and strengthening user safety and security. More details and demos are anticipated at Google I/O next week.
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