Android 12was a significant visual overhaul for our favorite mobile OS, with Material You dynamic theming being the most noteworthy inclusion.Android 13made it even better, because many apps caught on to the dynamic theming trend, helping the Android system unify around a singular design identity. Material You principles have also evolved in the last few years, and the latest Android 14 beta is the first to featureMaterial Design 3 (MD3) switchesall around.
Android 14 Beta 3 droppedearlier this week with several important visual updates, including the iOS-likelock screen customizationoptions Google previewed at I/O 2023, and as Android expertMishaal Rahmanpoints out, some new MD3 switches. Although it may seem like a small change in this beta update, MD3 switches are quite different from the outgoing design.
New MD3 switches in light and dark mode
The new switches are ever so slightly taller and wider, and feature new color mappings too, clearly visible when you switch a toggle on. Google has also updated the switch thumb, so it can hold an icon like a checkmark, making it even easier to tell when a switch is on. In comparison, the outgoing MD2 toggles had a switch thumb that extended beyond the switch track edges.
MD2 switches(left); MD3 switches(right)
The MD3 guidelines have been available to app developers as well, meaning they are welcome to redesign their in-app switches. We are seeing examples of this regularly, like withWhatsApp making the switchin May this year. The new switch toggle pairs well with Android 14, and hopefully many more apps hop on board with this change by the time the OS update is ready for a stable release.
