What you need to know
- Google’s redesign of the Android OS brand includes capitalizing the “A” in the Android wordmark and giving the iconic bugdroid a 3D look.
- The tech giant also launched several new features, including an “Assistance at a Glance” AI widget and upgrades to the Lookout app.
- Users will start seeing the new brand identity take shape starting this year.
Google previously made adjustments to Android’s brand a few years ago, but the tech giant seems to be once again giving the brand a visual makeover, which includes a refreshed logo for the operating system, as well as several new features.
Announced today by the company, the brand redesign includes subtle changes to the Android wordmark, such as capitalizing the “A” and giving the letters a more rounded design. These seemingly innocuous changes are undoubtedly significant since the first letter has been historically lowercase since the inception of Android’s OS.
The company notes that these changes to the brand’s typeface mirror Google’s logo in order to “better communicate the relationship between Android devices and the Google apps and services people already know.”
The redesign also includes some TLC for the iconic Android robot, a prominent fixture that has accompanied the brand for years. The Android BFF is getting a refreshed 3D look to make it stand out more in the background.
“The bugdroid — the face and most identifiable element of the Android robot — now appears with more dimension, and a lot more character,” Google said in a statement.
“As a visual signifier of our brand, we wanted the bugdroid to appear as dynamic as Android itself. We've also updated the robot’s full-body appearance to ensure it can easily transition between digital and real-life environments, making it a versatile and reliable companion across channels, platforms and contexts.”
In parallel to the brand's visual makeover, the tech giant also highlighted a series of new features coming to Android phones.
This includes the launch of “Assistance at a Glance,” an AI-powered widget that will push valuable info, such as weather alerts, travel updates, and event reminders, directly to your home screen.
Elsewhere on Android’s OS, the tech giant also updated its Lookout app — which uses AI to help users with visual disabilities navigate their surroundings — with the ability to answer questions about images for you. For greater accessibility, the app is also now available in 11 new languages — including Japanese, Korean, and Chinese — which brings the number of supported languages to a whopping 34 for the app.
Additional updates include the ability to import printed tickets or passes on Google Wallet, so long as there is a barcode or QR code. Google also highlights it will release communication apps on Android Auto “soon,” which will allow users to join and manage their conference calls from their car display.
As for the brand’s visual makeover, the company notes that users will “start seeing the new aspects of the brand identity, like the updated logo and 3D bugdroid, appear on Android devices and in more places starting this year.”
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