Google’s new Material 3 Expressive design language might be one of the big focuses for Google I/O next week, but it’s already starting to appear on Pixel Watch smartwatches.
The new design language for Android 16 and Google’s apps has been extensively leaked already, but it’s not due to take a bow publicly until May 20 at Google I/O 2025.
However, one Reddit user has spotted signs of this new more expansive look making its way into the wild already.
Reddit user TurningTablesAgain
Material 3 Expressive appearing on Wear OS
Wear OS 6 won’t be getting the Material 3 Expressive treatment until later this year, but the new look has started dribbling out to apps and Tiles.
Reddit user TurningTablesAgain has spotted Material 3 Expressive’s larger, more screen-moulding buttons appearing on two Google Calendar Wear OS Tiles using their Pixel Watch 3. Android Police also claims to have seen these new ‘Expressive’ buttons appearing on their Google Pixel Watch 2.
It doesn’t appear to be making its way to all Wear OS devices, however, even following a recent update to version 2025.18.1. It seems as if Google is selectively rolling out the new Tile design right now.
What else can we expect from Material 3 Expressive?
Just last week we reported on another big ‘oopsie’ moment from Google, as it issued a lengthy blog post on the design process behind the new Material 3 Expressive language.
Google has ploughed more practical research into its new UI than any other, with the intention of creating a system that’s “both beautiful and highly usable” by “making key actions stand out, and grouping like elements together”.
If the extensive user feedback suggested that it should move a button’s location and make it way bigger, Google did it.
Rather weirdly, while Android 16 is due to launch next month, the Material 3 Expressive UI won’t be ready until later in the year. This limited Wear OS update could prove to be quite an early taster for what’s to come.
