Google redesigns Android's phone app: more dynamic, introduces swipe to answer/reject calls

Google has launched a new interface for its phone app, making it easier for users to find contacts and call logs.

According to reports, the update has been gradually launched in some public test users, and the overall design is closer to Android's younger Material 3 Expressive style.

A major change in this revision is that the bottom menu bar has been streamlined from the original four options of "Favorites", "Call Logs", "Contacts" and "Voicemail" to "Home", "Dialer" and "Voicemail". In the new "Home" page, users can see the favorite contacts in the form of bubbles at the top, and the updated call log list below. Unlike the past, calls from the same contact would be grouped into one record, now each call will be listed separately - for example, if mom makes five consecutive calls, there will be five records.

Google is also testing a new gesture: users can swipe horizontally to answer or reject calls. Google said that this design is in response to user feedback and is intended to reduce misoperation when the phone is taken out of the pocket.

In addition to the above changes, the phone app also has some visual updates. For example, in the answering interface, the contact avatar is surrounded by a more lively, irregularly outlined circular frame.

The complete interface revision of Material 3 Expressive has not yet been unveiled with the release of Android 16 this month, and is expected to be officially launched in September. At the same time, Google has also launched the "Pixel VIP" component for Pixel phones, which can display more information about frequently used contacts, such as location, call logs, and notes.