The update brings visual elements that align closely with Material 3 Expressive: message bubbles now have subtle tints, buttons are filled with color, and interface shapes suggest more fluid interactions. Some list options now feature buttons with both icons and text, while others are shaped to hint at their scrollable behavior.
It’s not clear yet how widely the redesign is being distributed. While some users on the latest version of Google Messages are already seeing the changes, others are not, which points to a server-side rollout. It may also be limited to specific hardware like the Pixel Watch 3 or newer Wear OS devices.
Material 3 Expressive in the Google Messages Wear OS app. | Images credit — Android Authority
Staggered rollouts, such as how Google usually does them, can be frustrating. Users running the latest software may not see the redesign immediately, which raises questions about the consistency of Google’s software updates across Wear OS. That said, these types of server-side experiments often serve as final validation before a broader release.
That said, this is a step forward for Wear OS. While not a game-changer, the update reflects Google’s continued investment in wearable software design, even as competition from Samsung’s One UI Watch and Apple’s watchOS remains strong. For users already in Google’s ecosystem, the growing presence of Material 3 Expressive is bringing a more cohesive visual experience across platforms.
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