Google combines Material 3 Expressive & Liquid Glass on the iPhone [Gallery]

9to5google.com Sep 26, 2026

Google combines Material 3 Expressive & Liquid Glass on the iPhone [Gallery]

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 26, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Google has begun integrating its Liquid Glass translucency effect into iOS versions of its apps, pairing it with the Material 3 Expressive design language. In the latest update (v7.94), Google Photos now features a frosted bottom navigation bar, offering a “Default” translucency and a “More clear” setting that reveals more of the underlying image. The dark theme tints the tab indicator with blue accent. Liquid Glass treatments appear on top‑bar buttons, the bottom bar in Google Health, and the “Ask Coach” floating action button. While Docs, Sheets, Slides and Keep use the older Material theme on iOS, Google is phasing out that design. The company has not added Android‑style Dynamic Color to iOS suite, citing limited system access to wallpaper data.

💡 Why It Matters

· The move brings iOS apps closer to Android’s visual language, strengthening Google’s cross‑platform brand identity.

Read full article on 9to5google.com

THIM app to add visa extensions, 90-day reporting online

Thailand’s Immigration Bureau launched the THIM app on August 1, offering a digital gateway for foreign visitors to submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) and access travel services. The app, available on major app stores, already records over 600,000 downloads and 580,000 active users. It will expand to include queue booking, visa extensions, 90‑day reporting, and visa‑on‑arrival at authorized checkpoints, aiming to streamline entry and stay procedures while maintaining security and data protection. The initiative responds to rising visitor numbers that strain airport and border facilities.

💡 By centralizing immigration tasks, Thailand reduces physical congestion and speeds processing, enhancing the country’s appeal as a tourist destination.

androidcentral.com · Sep 26

Google Messages gets a major gesture and menu refresh

Google Messages introduces a refreshed gesture system and a new floating long‑press menu that replaces the top toolbar. The menu now appears beside the selected bubble, offering Reply, Forward, Copy, Star, Delete, Select more, and Info, with image‑specific options like Save and Remix. Copying text is improved: a second tap lets users select a snippet instead of the whole message. Swiping left reveals timestamps and RCS encryption status; a right swipe on a bubble replies. The changes are rolling out via recent builds and are server‑controlled.

💡 The new gesture logic streamlines common messaging tasks, reducing the need to open message details and speeding up information retrieval in long threads.

9to5google.com · Sep 25

Google Messages rolls out new swipe for timestamps & reply gesture

Google Messages is being updated with a new swipe‑based interface that changes how users view timestamps and send replies. In the latest rollout, swiping left anywhere in a conversation reveals the sent time, read receipts and RCS encryption status, replacing the previous need to tap individual bubbles. Swiping right on a bubble now initiates a direct reply, requiring a more precise gesture than the former left‑swipe shortcut. The redesign also reverts to the older two‑circle icon set on the Details page and home screen, while a brief timestamp preview appears when a bubble is tapped to hint at the new behavior. The changes are distributed in version 20260910_03_RC02 and are being rolled out broadly across Android devices for millions worldwide.

💡 The new gestures let users access message metadata and reply faster, cutting down on taps and streamlining everyday texting.

techcrunch.com · Sep 25

Meta is putting its muscle behind Muse as the AI app takes…

Meta has accelerated the adoption of its AI chatbot Muse, pushing the app’s downloads from 2.5 million to over 3.4 million within a week after showcasing it at the Meta Connect developer conference. The event introduced new features such as video‑chat avatars, Mac support, a dedicated email address, partner integrations and future smart‑glasses compatibility. Market‑intelligence firms report varying totals—Sensor Tower cites 3.4 million installs, Apptopia 4.3 million, and Appfigures about 2.3 million—reflecting the app’s rapid rise in the U.S. and Canada. Daily active users jumped 27 % post‑conference, and Muse claimed the top spot on both the U.S. App Store and Google Play within weeks of launch, aided by Meta’s extensive cross‑platform house ads and external advertising that accounted for roughly 6 % of impressions.

💡 Muse’s meteoric climb demonstrates how Meta’s integrated promotion can fast‑track an AI product to market dominance, reshaping user expectations for conversational agents.

nationthailand.com · Sep 25

Thailand launches THIM as digital gateway for foreign visitors

Thailand’s Immigration Bureau launched the THIM app on August 1, 2026, creating a digital gateway that consolidates immigration and travel services for foreign visitors. The platform currently offers the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) and an Explore Thailand feature, with plans for queue booking, visa extensions, and other stay‑related functions. THIM employs NFC passport reading, liveness detection, facial comparison, and AWS cloud infrastructure to secure personal and biometric data under Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act. Over 600,000 downloads and 580,000 active users demonstrate rapid adoption.

💡 By centralizing entry and stay services, THIM reduces physical bottlenecks at borders, boosting Thailand’s tourism efficiency and reinforcing its reputation as a tech‑savvy destination.

techradar.com · Sep 24

Your ExpressVPN app on Windows, Mac, and Linux just got more flexible…

ExpressVPN released version 14.3.1 of its desktop applications for Windows, macOS and Linux on September 22. The update expands the Advanced Protection suite—ad, tracker and malicious‑site blocking—to operate under every VPN protocol supported by the service. Additional enhancements include a rebuilt speed‑test tool, more intelligent split‑tunneling controls, and a series of reliability patches aimed at reducing connection drops. The rollout follows a busy 2024 for the provider, which earlier introduced a visual redesign and a stable multi‑connection point (MCP) server for AI‑driven tools. ExpressVPN, priced from $2.49 per month on a two‑year plan with a 30‑day money‑back guarantee, continues to be highlighted by TechRadar as one of the most user‑friendly and fast VPN options.

💡 By making its ad‑blocking features protocol‑agnostic, ExpressVPN strengthens privacy safeguards for users regardless of connection method, addressing a common gap in competing services.