Compared to the other redesigns, Material 3 Expressive for Phone by Google thoroughly updates how you use the app.
The Google Phone app now has three tabs, with Favorites and Recents merged into Home. Your starred contacts now appear in a bar/carousel at the top of the past calls list, with each conversation (which is also the case throughout the app) placed in a container.
Keypad is the middle tab and replaces the FAB (floating action button). The sheet containing the number pad is now rounded. Voicemail is unchanged save for the updated list style.
Google has moved Contacts into a new navigation drawer accessed from the search field alongside Settings (which benefits from a coat of M3 Expressive), Clear call history, and Help & feedback.
Meanwhile, Google has updated the Incoming call screen with the ability to answer/decline via Horizontal swipe or Single tap. This can be set from the new “Incoming call gesture” menu in Settings. This is meant to reduce accidental declines and answers “while taking the phone out of one’s pocket.”
The in-call interface makes use of pill-shaped buttons that morph into rounded rectangles when selected. The end call button is also larger than before.
After testing got underway in June, this Material 3 Expressive redesign for the Google Phone app is widely rolling out with version 186 for stable users. It joins the Google Contacts update, while M3E is actively rolling out to the Messages app.
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