Google isn't hiding the Pixel Watch anymore and is preparing for its grand unveiling alongside the Pixel 7 next month. Some of those preparations are visible on the Play Store, like the steady stream of apps getting the Material You design treatment. The Google Keep app for Wear OS smartwatches is the latest to hop on the bandwagon — its latest update brings a much-needed Material You design refresh. The app's interface is also changing on Samsung tablets and foldable phones.
Android 12 introduced the world to Google's Material You design language. Besides dynamic theming, the new design guidelines add a touch of refinement to the apps and make them look cohesive. Google has updated Keep to version 5.22.342.03.97, so you can get the most out of it with Material You design elements (via 9to5Google). Right off the bat, you'll notice the classic yellow accent color derived from the app icon is gone. Within the app on Wear OS, you'll see each note or list entry in a gray pill which contrasts nicely against a black background — a welcome departure from the dated UI where options had grayscale icons and were separated by lines.
Google Keep's user interface on Wear OS before the update
Google Keep's user interface on Wear OS after the update
The white-on-black design in the Wear OS app has been replaced with colorful pill-shaped floating action buttons (FABs), making it easier to tell buttons and actions from plain text. You'll see such buttons for creating a fresh note, a new list, adding reminders to a note, archiving them, and pinning them. The updated Keep app also fits a little more text on your tiny smartwatch screen, so you won't have to scroll as much. You'll see two notes or lists on the main page when you're scrolled to the top.
On Samsung devices running One UI 4.1.1 based on Android 12L, like the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Flip 4, and Tab S8, SamMobile reports Google Keep will soon run in the dual-pane mode that's better suited for larger screens. Google support documentation says the app will switch to the dual-pane interface on such devices when you switch to landscape mode.
With Keep, Google has one more Wear OS app ready to hit the ground running when the Pixel Watch debuts in October. Samsung users may need to wait a bit, but the dual-pane UI will probably boost productivity when it arrives.