Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Google is testing Material 3 Expressive components in a beta version of its Files app.
Changes include centrally placed, redesigned floating buttons, larger thumbnails, and a new progress bar design.
Ahead of these releases, several Google apps have started adopting Material 3 Expressive components, and the Files by Google app is the latest one to jump on the bandwagon.
Lastly, Files by Google displays a progress bar whenever an APK file is being installed or files are compressed into a ZIP file.
In the current UI, this progress bar is shown at the bottom, while the upcoming UI will restore its position to the center of the screen and give it a wavy progress bar.
Android Authority/Edgar Cervantes.
TL;DR.
Google is using a beta version of its Files app to test Material 3 Expressive features.
Larger thumbnails, redesigned floating buttons in the center, and a new progress bar design are among the modifications.
Before being made publicly available in the stable version of the app, these design elements might be modified.
A lot of Google and third-party apps will be updated to use Android’s new UX design language, and Material 3 Expressive will be the newest fad. Although Material 3 Expressive will be rolled out more widely later this year, the design is anticipated to make its debut with the Android 16 QPR1 beta. Prior to these releases, a number of Google apps began incorporating Material 3 Expressive elements; the Files by Google app is the most recent to follow suit.
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An APK teardown uses work-in-progress code to forecast features that might be added to a service in the future. It’s possible, though, that these anticipated features won’t be released to the general public.
We were able to activate the Material 3 Expressive components code in the Files by Google v1.7528 beta before it was released.
Starting with the app’s landing page, we can observe that the File Scanner and Quick Share FABs, which were formerly positioned at the bottom right, are now positioned next to each other in the center. Additionally, the button’s design has evolved, appearing more streamlined and consistent. However, the Recents thumbnails have grown, which is a little unattractive.
In the app’s image viewer, the Edit and Circle to Search FABs receive the same treatment.
In the sidebar, we’ve also noticed some padding and sizing adjustments, though it’s unclear at first if these are deliberate.
Finally, whenever a file is compressed into a ZIP file or an APK file is being installed, Files by Google shows a progress bar. This progress bar is currently displayed at the bottom of the screen, but in the next user interface, it will be centered and have a wavy appearance.
The app does not yet have all of these changes live. They might not make it to the final release in this avatar because Google is still working on them. When we discover more, we’ll keep you informed.
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