Google’s Android ecosystem chief has put an end to rumors that Android might copy Apple’s Liquid Glass visual style, at least for Pixel handsets. Reacting to a fake Liquid Glass design for a Pixel 11 shared on X, Sameer Samat replied, “Not happening. Y’all are wild.” This clarification brings relief to Android enthusiasts who have seen numerous brands replicate Apple’s look in recent months.
Many Android Makers Have Already Followed Suit
Since Apple revealed Liquid Glass at WWDC last June, multiple Android brands have duplicated the style in their custom interfaces. OnePlus, Vivo, Oppo, Honor, and Xiaomi have all released UI updates that adopt the translucent, frosted-glass appearance Apple introduced. This trend has become so common that it has sparked concerns about Android’s unique visual identity.
Google, at least for its own Pixel line, is resisting the pull.
Material 3 Expressive Already Stands Out
Google unveiled its own refreshed design system, Material 3 Expressive, at I/O 2025, introducing bolder colors, more dynamic motion, and fluid shape transitions across the system UI, notifications, and core apps. It gives Pixel devices a distinctive personality.
Material 3 Expressive already gives Google a design story it can stand behind without borrowing from a competitor, and Samat’s response signals the company intends to stick to it. For those who use Pixel phones, the comment amounts to a guarantee that Android’s design language will stay its own.
Liquid Glass may spread further across third-party Android skins, but Google’s own devices will ship with a design system built on its own terms. Whether other Android manufacturers follow Google’s lead remains to be seen.