Google expands Material design guidelines for Android TV, Auto, and Cardboard

Google quietly revealed an update to its Material design language today during its annual I/O developer conference, introducing new guidelines and resources for Android TV, Android Auto, and Cardboard. This update follows a comparatively small spec refresh from Google last month.

The update was released in tandem with a new Google Design site, which promotes Google’s design language and features tutorials, an icon library, case studies, and so on.

Google initially revealed its Material guidelines at I/O 2014. At the time, we couldn’t help but draw comparisons to similar design styles already practiced by both Windows and iOS developers. Despite Google’s somewhat unoriginal direction, many top designers praised the guidelines early on. Since then, app developers have gradually embraced Google’s evolving standard.

Today’s news is the latest in a line of initiatives meant to improve Google’s relationship with the design community — and that relationship is quite important for Google to maintain, as products from design-led competitors continue to win over the attention of top app makers.

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