Google enhances Gemini assistant with new luminous animation on Samsung Galaxy Watches

Google introduces a colourful glow effect for Gemini on Galaxy Watch models, emphasising a more dynamic visual interface as part of the Material 3 Expressive update, without changing the assistant’s core functions.

Gemini is getting a more noticeable visual presence on Samsung smartwatches, with Google rolling out a new animation to the assistant on Galaxy Watch models running Wear OS. According to Oficina da Net, the change adds a luminous, multicoloured glow around the Gemini interface, but it does not alter how the assistant works. The update is part of Google’s broader Material 3 Expressive design direction, which is aimed at making interfaces feel more fluid and more distinctive on smaller screens.

The new effect, called Glow Overlay, adds colour movement around the assistant window and a subtle dotted pattern near the bottom of the display. Google introduced Material 3 Expressive during Google I/O 2026 as part of a wider refresh for Android and Wear OS, focusing on stronger visual feedback and more dynamic interactions. On watches, that matters because the screen is small and each interaction has to be readable at a glance.

For now, the change appears to be purely cosmetic. Users who already rely on Gemini on Galaxy Watch should see the assistant open with the revised look, but the underlying functions remain the same. Android Central reported that Wear OS 6 is also bringing a broader interface overhaul across the platform, with dynamic colour theming, smoother animations and better support for round displays.

The rollout appears to be gradual. Oficina da Net said the new look has already shown up on the Galaxy Watch Ultra from 2024, and other compatible Galaxy Watch models running One UI 8 Watch are expected to receive it later, depending on the device and software update schedule. That fits with Google’s wider Wear OS strategy, which has tied Gemini more closely to the platform as it replaces the older Assistant experience.

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