Google Translate’s Material You redesign is expanding from Pixel 6 to older Pixel phones

Ben Schoon | Dec 14 2021 - 1:44 pm PT

The Pixel 6 ushered in the final iteration of Material You on Android 12, as well as a redesigned Google Translate app that could take advantage of the Tensor chip. Now, that redesigned Google Translate app is heading to more Pixel phones.

The updated Google Translate app first rolled out in late October, just in time for the release of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. At the time, however, the update was only showing up on those Tensor-powered devices, and not on any older Pixel phones or other Android smartphones.

This afternoon we’re seeing the redesign live on Google Translate version 6.26 and 6.27 on Pixel 4 XL and Pixel 5 respectively, suggesting that this is likely a server-side change. We’re not seeing the update on other Android devices such as the Galaxy Z Fold 3 on the same app version. If you’re not yet seeing the redesign on your Pixel, checking for updates on the Play Store is certainly a good place to start.

Like on the Pixel 6, this new design respects Android 12’s wallpaper-based Dynamic Color feature. On the Pixel 4 XL, there don’t seem to be any features missing from the app as compared to Pixel 6, but the translations are likely slower than that phone with its AI-focused chip.