Earlier this week, Google confirmed this year's Android Show I/O Edition 2026 with a short teaser video. While the video didn't reveal exactly what's coming to Android 17, the iconic green Android mascot turning translucent sent the Android community into a frenzy. Believed to hint at Liquid Glass for Android 17, the speculations have now been officially addressed.
Android President Shuts Down Android 17 Liquid Glass Rumors
For fans worried about Android 17 getting Apple's Liquid Glass redesign, Sameer Samat, Android Ecosystem President, has confirmed that's "not happening". When he posted the 15-second teaser video of the 2026 I/0 Edition show, many fans commented under his post with concerns for Android adopting Liquid Glass. However, that isn't the case after all.
Now, while it is confirmed that Google will double down on Material 3 Expressive, the opaque and translucent textures of the Android mascot do hint at a key design overhaul that fans have been asking for the longest.
While nothing has been confirmed yet, we believe that the teaser video is a strong hint of Android adopting system-level Gaussian Blur. When Material 3 Expressive was announced back in 2025, it hinted at several UI elements bringing tinting and blurring. Given the lack of widespread Material 3 Expressive adoption, most Android OEMs have their own version of Android with a Gaussian blur effect for the most part.
Moreover, recent leaks have hinted Android 17 adopting blur effects on a system level. Hence, just like OxygenOS, ColorOS, OriginOS and more, Pixel UI could also join the ranks with widespread blur effects. That said, the I/O Edition 2026 show is scheduled to go live on May 12, 2026, at 12 AM PT (or 10:30 PM IST). Hence, we will know Google's big plans for Android 17 in just a week's time.
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