Google Play icons get a more playful and uniform look

By Julian Chokkattu April 4, 2016

google play music tripadvisor — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Google Play-branded suite of apps has just gotten an icon makeover that has the effect of associating them more with each other — you know, as if the preceding “Google Play” wasn’t enough.

new google play — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The new look is certainly appealing, and it resonates with the whole “play” vibe that Google is trying to evoke. First and foremost, the Google Play logo now has a flatter, cleaner look to it. It also has much brighter colors, giving a more refreshing look than the previous one, which by comparison now looks a bit muddled and grainy. If you need a refresher, the old icons are here below.

Google Play — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Play Store logo matches the Play logo, but the backing it’s enveloped in is now a brighter white color, and it lacks the fold in the middle. The rest of the icons are located within the Google Play logo, and they are shown in a manner that makes them appear to be emerging out of it. The triangle matches the color of each Play service. The logos are similar in to the previous one, but some like Play Newstand and Play Music are markedly different.

Clearly they also feature sharper and brighter colors as with the Play logo itself. The icon change could potentially mean that a design update is looming for some of the apps in the coming future. We will likely learn of any possible upcoming changes at Google I/O in May.

The icons will be updated in the apps and on the websites within the “coming weeks,” according to Google.

What do you think of the design changes? Let us know in the comments.

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Julian Chokkattu

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…

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