Google’s upcoming Android 16 will be a big release. In addition to bringing a bucket full of new features, the new OS will also offer an overhaul of its Material Design language, which Google calls Material 3 Expressive. The search giant is already testing the new design language with some of its applications, like Phone, Calendar, Photos, Files, and Meet. Ahead of the official release, Android Authority has spotted the Material 3 Expressive design changes coming to Google’s Phone app with Android 16.

Google’s Phone app may let you choose how you answer calls in Android 16

The folks over at Android Authority managed to enable Android 16’s redesign of the Phone by Google app (version 177.0.763181107-publicbeta-pixel2024). It appears that Google will offer the app with a visual redesign in Android 16. After the update, the app may let you choose how you answer calls with the new Material 3 Expressive style.

Currently, Google’s Phone app lets you answer or reject calls by swiping up or down on the screen. Recently, some Reddit users saw that Google started testing simple “Answer” and “Decline” buttons, which require only a tap. Google began testing another approach, which requires a horizontal swipe to the left and right for declining and answering calls, respectively.

However, it appears that the new redesign will let you choose between the tap-to-answer approach and the horizontal swipes in Android 16. Notably, the APK teardown of the app revealed that there are two strings of code for the same: [name=”answer_method_swipe_entry”>Horizontal swipe] and [name=”answer_method_tap_entry”>Single tap]. There’s a possibility that Google might also keep the vertical swipe gesture for answering or declining calls.

More visual changes are coming to Google’s Phone app in Android 16

Furthermore, the redesigned app appears to eliminate most of the simple circular buttons in favor of larger, pill-shaped keys that change shape when tapped. The call-in screen will also show a new animation for the profile photo of the caller. On the call screen, the name, phone number, profile picture, buttons, and menu will appear bigger than the current ones in the redesigned app.

The source has identified the tweaks in the Phone app after finding similar discoveries in the Google One, Google Meet, and Google TV apps recently. So it looks like the Material 3 Expressive design overhaul is coming to most of the Google apps in Android 16.