Summary
- Screenshots of the Google Clock app with a Material 3 Expressive redesign have leaked online.
- The refreshed app will feature minor design tweaks, like a new font and larger buttons, to enhance the user experience.
- Google will seemingly entirely use Jetpack Compose to build the app.
Google is all set to unveil the next evolution of its Material You design language at I/O 2025 later this month, on May 20th. Instead of a complete visual overhaul, Material 3 Expressive will help apps become more “expressive.” A new leak gives us the first glimpse of how one of Google’s first-party apps will look after its Material 3 Expressive update.
Mystic Leaks shared screenshots of the Google Clock app featuring an “Expressive Design.” A few details stand out immediately: a new font and larger floating action buttons, with some icons replaced by text buttons (via 9to5Google).
Another notable change is the use of color to highlight active alarms, making it easier to distinguish them from inactive ones instantly. By comparison, the current version bolds the time to indicate active alarms.
Left to right: Current Google Clock app (first two screenshots); with the Material 3 Expressive makeover
Besides this, there are several other smaller changes, like the stop/stop button for the timer moving inside the circular dial, new preset timer options for 5 mins, 10 mins, 30 mins, and 45 minutes. The bottom tabs remain largely unchanged, though a few have been slightly renamed. For instance, “Clock” is now “World Clock,” and “Timer” has become “Timers.”
None of the design changes are dramatic, but combined, they do add a freshness to the UI and should potentially improve the user experience as well. The larger buttons in some areas are a welcome improvement, making them easier to tap.
Left to right: Current Timer and Stopwatch UI in Google Clock app; After the Material 3 Expressive refresh
Built 100% using Jetpack Compose
The leaker also claims that Google will entirely use Jetpack Compose to build the updated Clock app, which should make it smoother. Other Google apps that get the “Expressive” design treatment might also get a similar under-the-hood upgrade.
We could potentially see Google unveil a similar Material 3 Expressive revamp of its apps at Google I/O later this month.
We might not have to wait until May 20th, when Google I/O starts, to learn more about Material 3 Expressive, though. Google may take the wraps off its new design language at a pre-recorded “The Android Show” on May 13th, a week ahead of its annual developer conference.
