Android 16 will bring new Material Design, Safety and Security features and Gemini in more places

Ahead of their I/O developer conference next week, Google has hosted an Android Round Table hosted by Sameer Samat, President, Android Ecosystem overnight, laying out what’s next in Android 16 which is set to launch in the coming months. 

The next version of Android will focus on a more personal and expressive design for Android, as well as bring their Gemni AI assistant to more devices, and deliver more safety and security features. 

Material 3 Expressive

The next version of Material Design – know as Material 3 Expressive, is ‘is all about making your device feel unique to you’ says Google, and brings ‘new ways to show your style and personality, delivers smooth interactions and surfaces glanceable, helpful information’.

The update will bring a new look to devices running Android 16 when it launches – starting with Pixel devices, as well as Wear OS devices running Wear OS 6.

The Material 3 Expressive update introduces  natural, springy animations to make it feel like you’re interacting with things on the screen – or as Google describes it brings ‘a moment of delight to everyday routine’. 

For example, when interacting with quick settings, the background gets blurred to add depth, and tapping on a setting morphs the icon to show interaction, while dismissing a notification makes other notifications react, and adds a satisfying haptic rumble as it’s flicked off into the ether.

The update will also bring improvements in other aspects of Android, including a more refined home screen allowing widgets and icons line up better.

The Material 3 Expressive update will also come through to Google Apps like Fitbit, Gmail and more.

Google is also adding in Live Updates, with glanceable information to let you track progress notifications from select apps. This means you’ll be able to track things like your Uber Eats order in real time with a Live Update status you can glance at. 

On Wear OS, Material 3 Expressive positions the round watch display at the heart of the experience. The update in Wear OS 6 will bring  optimised animations when scrolling that trace the curvature of the display and give you a sense of depth. 

There’s also a focus on daily experiences like using the pin pad or controlling media which have been improved with motion and responsive feedback when interacting.

The size of your display will also define the elements which will morph to adapt to smaller screen sizes. 

There’s also going to be new glanceable buttons, as well as improvements to Tiles, both of which will more uniformly fit on the display, taking less space, and invite tapping, or provide glanceable information or actions that are timely and relevant to your needs like texting favourite contacts or starting a workout. 

Just as Material You brought theming to the phone, Material 3 Expressive brings it to the watch, with the ability to set a theme on your watch face that’s carried through the rest of the OS.

Google says the update will arrive with Android 16 and roll out to Pixel Devices first, as well as to devices with Wear OS 6 – all within the coming months. 

Gemini

The presence of Gemini on our phones has been a slow, yet inevitable rollout, finally replacing the Google Assistant – and Google wants Gemini in more places, including to Google TV, Android auto and Cars with Google built-in, Wear OS, earbuds from Sony and Samsung and even to the upcoming Android XR Mixed reality headset announced with Samsung. 

Wear OS

On Wear OS, Gemini will be able to connect to your apps, finding important details and letting you just speak naturally with Gemini doing the work to find what you need.

Gemini will allow you to get answers on your wrist, as well as set reminders, so you don’t have to pause what you’re doing.

Cars

In cars, Google is bringing Gemini to both Android Auto and cars with Google Built-in.

This in-car Gemini instance will be able to handle all those tasks you want from just your voice. 

Google has included car-specific options for Gemini in the car, offering options like asking it to find the best route, as well as finding help along the way, like finding a charging station fpr your EV with a supermarket nearby so you can shop while your car charges.

Gemini can also do what it does on your phones, like summarising messages, or translating replies while you drive. It can also offer up summaries of your day based on your calendar, adding in news and more. 

Google says that Gemini will be available on Android Auto in the coming months, followed by cars with Google Built-in. 

Google TV

Google began bringing in more features like Smart Home integration to their TV platform with the launch of the Google TV Streamer, now they’re bringing in more AI with Gemini set to offer a host of new TV related options.

On your TV, Gemini will be able to make nuanced recommendations, like kid appropriate action movies, or even let kids do some learning by letting them interact with Gemini on a large screen device and ask questions, with Gemini able to show information like YouTube videos so they can learn more. 

Glasses

With phones so yesterday (/s), the next frontier is apparently smart glasses and Google is ready to bring Gemini to smart glasses, including the Android XR mixed-reality headset they announced with Samsung last year. 

Google sees Mixed Reality glasses as a great way to immerse you in Gemini, letting it surround you with information. Google says Gemini can do things like help plan a vacation, bringing up ‘videos, maps and local tips’ to help you immerse yourself. 

Safety and Security

Android has been getting more secure over the generations, with features like automatic spam call protection, Car Crash Detection and there’s more on the way in Android 16.

Google will introduce AI to help combat more Scam and Spam, as well as introducing a new Find Hub to help you locate your belongings, family and friends.

The Find My network launched by Google has seen a slow start, with a limited number of device makers on-board. That’s growing with things like Disney themed bluetooth trackers, trackers in skis, and even luggage with trackers built-in.

These devices will be able to be tracked in the new Find Hub, which will also let you track people.

Google also says that the Find Hub will support ultra-wide band (UWB) enabled tags, first available on moto tag – though it launches later this month in the Find My app, letting you more easily find devices nearby.

Finding People in the Find Hub will presumably require them to share their location with you – likely in Maps, or possibly even in the Find Hub directly. I share location with my wife so we can co-ordinate better, so having a central location will be great. 

For anyone searching for a lost device, Google says they’re hardening Factory Reset protections, which will see all functions restricted on any device reset without the owners authorisation. 

Google is quite well known for their scam protection in their caller ID, as well as their Messages app and one of the first scam related features will prevent scammers directing people to change settings while on a call. These settings can often be used to take over, or monitor devices, and an error will pop up advising of a potential scam and stopping you changing settings.

Google is also trialling a new screen sharing scam feature in the UK which will monitor your phone,  popping up a warning about scammers if you use screen sharing while accessing your bank apps. The alert will be fairly intense, and give you the option to end the call and to stop screen sharing with one tap.

Google says they’ll also be updating their Call and Message scam detection with AI to detect new scams including Toll road and other billing fee scams, Crypto scams,  Financial impersonation scams, Gift card and prize scams, Technical support scams  and more.

There’s also a new Key Verifier coming to Android Messages, which will let you swap public keys with someone to ensure you’re talking to who you say you are. This will let you verify someone in the event someone clones their SIM card.

Google will also expand their Identity Check feature in Android 16. Launched last year for selected Pixel and Samsung devices, Identity Check requires you to authenticate with biometrics in order to get to select  sensitive resources when you’re outside of trusted locations.

Android 16 will also hide those one-time passwords you receive on your lockscreen, making you unlock the phone before you can view them – further securing your accounts. 

Lastly, Google is launching their Advanced Protection Program, their most secure options for Android users yet. Aimed at public figures including journalists and elected officials – or anyone valuing their privacy and security. 

This high level protection will include intrusion detection as well as , or public figure

• Best-in-class protection, minimal disruption: Advanced Protection gives users the option to equip their devices with Android’s most effective security features for proactive defense, with a user-friendly and low-friction experience.
• Easy activation: Advanced Protection makes security easy and accessible. You don’t need to be a security expert to benefit from enhanced security.
• Defense-in-depth: Once a user turns on Advanced Protection, the system prevents accidental or malicious disablement of the individual security features under the Advanced Protection umbrella. This reflects a “defense-in-depth” strategy, where multiple security layers work together.
• Seamless security integration with apps: Advanced Protection acts as a single control point that enables important security settings across many of your favorite Google apps, including Chrome, Google Message, and Phone by Google. Advanced Protection will also incorporate third-party applications that choose to integrate in the future.