Google Calendar getting Material redesign and smart new features

Google Calendar will get a massive update soon, bringing some much needed love to one of Google’s less flashy, yet very important applications.

The update is available today on Lollipop devices (read the Nexus 9), while less lucky users can expect it “in the coming weeks.” For now, all we have is Google’s blog post describing the update and some cool animations, but from them alone, this looks like a great release.

The new Calendar is drenched in Material design, with the signature action button allowing you to quickly create new events. The bold color palette and the smooth animations are complemented by maps, thoughtful graphics, or even imagery displayed based on your events. For instance, an event set in New York will show the city’s iconic skyline, while a night out event may show a “drinks” graphic.

But not all changes are skin deep – the most exciting addition in terms of functionality is Events. Basically, Google is bringing some of the smarts of Google Now to Calendar – when you receive emails confirming dinner reservations, concerts, or just a meeting, entries will be automatically created in Calendar. That should really remove much of the friction of using Gmail and Calendar together, assuming the system works reliably. Even better, Calendar will automatically update entries when you receive subsequent emails changing details of an event.

New Calendar also introduces Assists, which is basically a smart autocomplete that lets you quickly fill out names and places, as well as event entries like “running in the park” based on your previous usage.

The new Google Calendar is coming over the next weeks (probably sooner, rather than later) to all devices running Android 4.1 and higher. In the meantime, check out Google’s Calendar page for a closer look at the new design.

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