Google Calendar will reportedly introduce new Material You widgets teased years ago

Jun 8, 2023Updated Jun 4, 20252 min read

Introduced in 2021 with Android 12, the Material You treatment on Google Calendar enabled consumers to personalize the app more seamlessly than before. While some intriguing widgets relied on the background to create personalized colors, the overall design wasn’t really unique. Well, things might be changing now, for Google might currently be working on an update of the Material You widgets.

The information isn’t officially confirmed, so there’s no way to tell whether the update will ever be released. With that in mind, photos of the possible new look of Google Calendar were spotted online. What’s fair to say about them is that they look relatively finished. So, the widget updates might be coming to the public at some point very soon.

Pictures of the revamped widgets were found on a Google News Telegram channel, which activated them using a hidden flag in version 2023.22.1-537255951. So far, so good. What makes these changes interesting, though?

Let’s first determine which view modes get a revamped widget design. Looking at the pictures, it becomes clear that the changes in question shall apply to the monthly overview of Google Calendar and the agenda view.

The latter drops its background color in favor of the plus button, making it stand out. The plus button is redesigned in the monthly view mode as well. There, it also moves to the very top right corner of the app.

The two widget designs were compared online. According to the Telegram channel, these are foldable mockup design, first introduced by Google upon announcing Material You and this one.

As mentioned, the design changes on the Material You widgets haven’t been officially confirmed yet. Still, keeping in mind that a mere flag in the code allows them to run, it could be safe to say that the revamped design will be coming to Google Calendar sooner or later.

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About the author

Mei Ling Tan

Contributor · RetailNews.asia

Mei Ling Tan is the Editor of Retail News Asia, where she leads the editorial team in delivering in-depth coverage of Asia’s dynamic retail landscape. With over a decade of experience in business journalism, Mei Ling is known for her sharp analysis, deep industry insights, and commitment to uncovering the stories behind Asia’s most innovative retail brands. Before joining Retail News Asia, Mei Ling held senior reporting roles at regional business publications, covering everything from consumer trends to digital transformation in retail. A graduate of the National University of Singapore with a degree in Communications and New Media, she combines journalistic integrity with a strong understanding of evolving market forces. Outside the newsroom, Mei Ling is a frequent speaker at industry panels and a mentor for young journalists.

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