The rebrand includes a new logo, colour palette, and typography, and aims to represent the Android community as well as better connect the brand with Google.
With over three billion devices worldwide, Android is now said to be the “world’s largest operating system”. To better represent its users and to reflect Android’s core ethos of “being open, iterative and inclusive”, it has unveiled an updated visual identity.
Partnering with agency R/GA to help shape the new direction, first up has been a refresh of the brand’s logo. Android last updated its logo back in 2019 in a bid to be more accessible and easier to read, this time round the idea is to further connect Android to Google. This means a move away from the all-lowercase logo, with now a capital ‘A’ for Android, as well as a few more curves. This is to “add more weight to its appearance when placed next to Google’s logo”, and balance the two.
The Android robot (known as ‘Bugdroid’), which has become the brand’s mascot within the logo, has also had an update with a new, playful 3D look. The robot now has more colours and accessories (including a headband), plus also comes with some animated elements. With more dimension and character, the idea is to give Bugdroid more dynamism, and so the team has additionally updated the robot’s full-body appearance to ensure it can “easily transition between digital and real-life environments” across different platforms.
Android’s colour palette and typography have also had a refresh, in order to “harmonise” with the Google brand palette, while ensuring accessibility and adaptability remain at the forefront. To help with this, Android drew inspiration from Material Design, the open-source design system initially developed by Google in 2014.
“Each time we overhaul our branding, we evaluate not only changing needs, but also future goals,” Jason Fournier, director of Android Consumer Brand Management wrote in a Google blogpost. “As an open platform, it’s important that both our technology and brand are an invitation for people to create, connect and do more with Google on Android devices.”
With the new identity also comes Google’s quarterly Android feature update, which includes a Google Assistant-power widget, and the option to store digital versions of library and gym cards in your Google Wallet. Parts of the new identity, including the new logo and 3D Bugdroid, will start appearing on Android devices this year.
