Google Revamps Phone App with Material You Design Ahead of Android 16

As part of its push toward Material 3 Expressive design, Google is rolling out a major redesign of its default Phone app, and the changes are already generating significant buzz. While Android 16 is expected to bring a broader visual overhaul, Google is gradually updating its core apps — and the Phone app is one of the first to get a facelift.

In a recent blog post, Google outlined the updates and explained the rationale behind them.

Key Changes in the New Google Phone App:

Simplified Bottom Navigation Bar: Now only includes Home, Keypad, and Voicemail tabs.

Home Tab: Combines Favorites and Recent Call Logs, with new logic showing separate entries for calls from the same contact.

Filters Moved: Spam, missed calls, and contacts filters are now inside the Home tab.

No More Contacts Tab: Google has removed the standalone Contacts tab entirely.

Keypad Centered: The Keypad now replaces the floating action button and sits in the center of the nav bar. It no longer floats between tabs.

New Swipe Gesture: Google is testing a more intentional swipe gesture to answer or reject calls, aiming to avoid pocket mishaps. This gesture is still being refined based on user feedback.

The redesigned Phone app is currently limited to beta testers, but a broader rollout is likely to happen before Android 16 goes stable.