Chrome browser to update to material design ‘across all operating systems’

Based on Google Chrome enterprise release notes, The Verge reported that Google’s browser will get a “new design across all operating systems.” That will bring material design aesthetics to all platforms.

The design changes reportedly will be most pronounced on iOS, where navigation controls will be moved to the bottom of the screen. September 4 is the scheduled date for the start of the rollout.

Material design was first introduced by Google in 2014. It’s a kind of successor or alternative to flat design and emphasizes bold color, white space and three-dimensional perspective. The overarching principle is visual appeal but in the service of functional objectives — not just design for design’s sake.

Google released Chrome in 2012, and it became the world’s leading browser, surpassing Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Chrome currently has a roughly 60 percent market share globally (Netmarketshare, StatCounter). Those margins are slightly less on mobile devices.