One of the main topics of discussion with Android 16 is the release of Material 3 Expressive, which not only improves the user experience of the system but also guarantees that Google apps use the same design language, improving consistency. Later in the year, those system-level design modifications are anticipated, but it appears Google is eager to begin implementing Android 16’s app designs.
Over the past few weeks, the Mountain View tech behemoth has been seen previewing Material 3 Expressive in the Phone app and, more lately, in Calendar, Photos, Files, and Meet. If Gmail is your main email app on your Android phone, it’s time to see if you have the Material 3 Expressive design upgrade installed. However, there is no information regarding when Android 16’s design will be available for these apps.
How Material 3 Expressive design is changing Gmail?
The Gmail app version 2025.05.11 is implementing Android 16’s design language, which was initially noticed by SparkRadar on Telegram. This brings significant modifications to the program’s general look (via Android Authority). The new card-based user interface for the email list is the first significant change you’ll notice when you launch the app.
Emails and the landing page’s search box were previously shown in a single-sheet format. With the Material 3 Expressive redesign, the email screens also had the same card-based user interface as the landing page.
On the landing page, the “Compose” FAB is still located on the right, but now has a thicker typeface and a solid-filled pencil image. The search bar has seen a minor alteration as well. The profile symbol in the search bar is no longer present in the updated user interface. As an alternative, the search bar’s size has been lowered to create space for the profile symbol next to it.
Additionally, we can see that the Meet and Email symbols have grown in size, and the bottom bar has slightly expanded. Additionally, Gmail now has a pill-shaped button animation for its swipe motions, which gives the interface a lively personality.
Although the Material 3 Expressive design update is visually appealing, not all Gmail users can currently access it. The reason for this is that a server-side update is being used to roll it out. Additionally, it may take a few more days to make this adjustment available to everyone, as Gmail is one of the Google apps with over 10 billion installations on the Google Play Store.
Since its debut in 2016, Google Assistant has been a feature of the Android operating system. It is accessible by uttering the “OK Google” hot word, as a sticky widget in the dock, or in the news stream on the left side of your home screen. However, the assistant needed a makeover because AI was a key component of almost every phone that was released in the previous year.
Google Gemini’s shortcomings were noted by early adopters, who said it could not execute jobs that Google Assistant could. With Gemini’s increased capabilities, a lot has changed. Here are some useful applications for it on an Android phone.
Use Gemini from Messages
Following Hangouts’ sunsetting and an unsuccessful attempt with Allo, Google finally figured out how to make texting work on Android. Google Messages is a fantastic way to interact with loved ones because of its many capabilities, especially when it comes to chats that use RCS.
The option to talk with Gemini will appear if you open Google Messages and tap the Start chat icon. This allows you to use Gemini’s conversational side in a chat window. You can ask it to create images, recite poems, or write a birthday message.
Gemini in Google Messages is incompatible with other apps and is unable to manage device settings. It does, however, provide a more conventional method of communicating with the assistance. It does not answer questions using pictures of individuals, but you can send it pictures of food, clothing, and other objects.
Also, Gemini cannot be asked to send a message through Google Messages. You can use the Gemini app specifically for that purpose. Furthermore, Gemini may be used to call contacts or look up the phone numbers of nearby businesses, just like Google Assistant. But you can not use your friendship with someone to make calls or send SMS. It is possible that saying, “Hey Google, call my mom,” will ring another contact with the name “mom.”
Control device settings
Gemini has the ability to switch off your Wi-Fi, but in order to utilize the assistant again, you will need to manually activate it. Bluetooth, location, auto-brightness, and flashlight settings are among the more practical device controls.
A series of instructions, such as “turn off auto-rotate and then turn on mobile data,” can be requested, but Gemini can be picky. Routine tasks, such as turning off alarms or setting a timer, function well.
Controlling my phone’s music playback is one of my favorite applications of this feature. You may ask Gemini to rewind a song by 30 seconds, but it can still play, pause, and skip songs as normal.
Also, you may use a custom timer to instruct Gemini to take a picture. On the other hand, when I ran the identical query on my iPhone using Apple Intelligence, it set a five-second timer labeled “picture.” Regards, Apple.
A conversational tool
For years, we have been able to use voice commands to activate Google Assistant; however, typically, a specific action or question is required. By tapping the button next to the camera symbol in the Gemini Live app, you can initiate an unstructured chat.
As long as the conversation does not violate the AI’s guidelines, you can talk about anything and get pertinent responses. It was a little unsettling to speak into my phone aloud and hear responses that seemed natural, but I eventually adapted. Gemini Live excels at having back-and-forth conversations, but you may also ask closed-ended questions.
During a discussion, Gemini can be interrupted by tapping the screen or talking over it. When you use Live mode, you can choose from a small selection of voices. I use Gemini Live to practice talks, generate ideas, and learn new languages. This is an intriguing approach to employ an AI assistant on your phone because of its convincing and real-time responses.
Use Gemini with Google Workspace
With a subscription, Gemini may be used with Google Workspace applications such as Docs, Gmail, and Slides. You may retrieve and condense emails, tasks, and other items linked to your Google account on an Android phone by using the Google Workspace extension, which is available for free with Gemini.
Gemini can filter emails by sender name or transmit a list of your most recent emails. It is unable to access attachments, though. Asking Gemini to summarize papers is a helpful tool, as I utilize Google Docs for the most of my class notes. In order to locate an event you have been searching for, it can also scan your calendar.
Gemini can be asked to save notes or tasks. In the Google Keep app, entries filled in this manner display a Gemini tag. Additionally, it cleverly names notes according to their substance.
Connect it with third-party apps
Gemini extensions allow you to access and manage additional features on your device. It is cool to connect to Google Workspace, and more third-party apps should soon be compatible with Gemini. Without opening the app and looking for a playlist, you can play songs from your playlists by connecting to your Spotify account. Media playback control then assists you in selecting the ideal song for the situation.
You may use voice commands on Google Gemini to send messages or make a call to a contact if you are one of the three billion WhatsApp users globally. You cannot, however, request that Gemini read your WhatsApp chats or attach anything to them.
Compared to its first day, Gemini now does more. Because device controls are compatible with the AI assistant, you are no longer forced to pick between it and Google Assistant. Additionally, when Gemini is unable to complete a task, it will sometimes rely on the Google Assistant extension. Your time with a Gemini is not going to be a happy one. It still has hallucinations and is a huge language model.
Even though it is capable of performing things like “turning on Bluetooth,” it occasionally refuses to do so. Starting a fresh chat is a good strategy to get good answers in these situations. You must unlock your phone’s screen in order to use the majority of its useful commands. Even with its limitations, Gemini keeps getting new features, such as the ability to operate smart home appliances with the Google Home extension.
