How many details do you want in your UI? Google: "Yes."

It’s becoming increasingly clear that Google is taking Pixel’s software more seriously than ever, rapidly closing the gap with other Android skins in terms of UI polish and overall UX.

Here’s a quick walkthrough of Google’s latest design choices:
• New power button animation: Following in the footsteps of other Android skins (like ColorOS and HyperOS), Google has introduced a sleek new animation for the power button. When Gemini is invoked via a long press, the screen’s edges subtly get bulkier before culminating in an "explosion" effect as the pop-up appears.

• New folder animations:
Opening and closing folders now feels smoother—albeit slightly slower—with a refined animation that pairs nicely with a dimmed background for improved contrast and a more polished UX.

• Redesigned Settings and Permissions pages:
Both sections have undergone a significant visual overhaul, featuring fresh fonts, updated color schemes, modernized icons, and a more intuitive layout.

• Redesigned Package Installer UI
The Android Package Installer UI has gone through a major interface and user experience overhaul. All the elements are now much better positioned and spaced between one another.

When combined with previous leaks, these changes paint a clear picture of Google’s new design direction, and there is an official name for it: "Expressive Design". Whether this aesthetic will fully replace Material Design remains uncertain, but one thing’s for sure—it’s here to stay, at least for the next few Android versions.