Android N could feature new designs for navigation buttons

There’s always a chance Google could stuff some surprise last-minute additions into Android N before it ships later this summer. One of those surprises could be a new look for the software-based navigation buttons.

Android Police reports that Google is currently exploring a remodel of the navigation buttons. The change seems mostly straightforward — those transparent geometric shapes we know and love become opaque instead.

That’s mostly all it is with the exception of the home button — it has Google’s signature colors of Red, Green, Blue and Yellow extending from each end. It’s said those colors expand in their respective directions when the home button is long pressed, which is the gesture we normally use to launch Google Now on Tap.

But that’s all we know for now. There’s no guarantee Google will use this in Android N, and if they do use it there’s no guarantee it will be the system default navigation bar going forward (‘less we reckon there be some mighty uproar about Google forcing their brand on everyone).