Material You designhas become a cornerstone of Android’s identity, and the app icons we interact with everyday play a massive role in helping the change feel significant. It may seem hard to believe, but Google isn’t done updating its Android apps with appropriate contemporary icons. We are now seeing the last of the stragglers, like Google Play Books, pick up a new app icon.
Early last month, we spotted thenew Google Play Books icon. Now, version 2025-07-23.0.1 of the app is bringing this change to all users through the Google Play Store. As9to5Googleobserves, the new icon is also visible as the site favicon onplay.google.com/books.
The old Google Play Books icon(left)compared to the new one(right)
The new design keeps the triangle in a darker shade of blue, with the corners rounded off more aggressively. The book in the old icon is only survived by the ribbon-like bookmark design in a lighter shade of blue. We are happy to report Google didn’t go to town with its four-color icon design this time, like it didGmailand other apps likeGoogle Arts & Culture. Play Books remains easily identifiable in its iconic blue color, and the new icon is just adequately different from the outgoing one.
The old dynamic themed icon(left)compared to the new one(right)
Interestingly, with dynamic theming for app icons enabled on our Pixel phones, we see the Play Books icon change shape completely. While the older versions of the app showed a rectangular book-like shape that was completely different from the base icon, the latest update just applies dynamic theme colors to the new icon for a more consistent look. Theming doesn’t apply to the app drawer, though, and that’s where you’ll still see the blue icon.
Google’s choice for the overall shape of the icon is defensible, as it is still consistent with the Play branding for Google’s digital stores, and the app contains audiobooks which are playable. Google isn’t changing the app’s fundamental purpose, and that’s a good thing. Play Books is one of the last few apps to pick up a Material You icon, hot on the heels of Google Lens, Play Games, and Authenticator.
Google has updated the icon in the Play Store listing, but the updated version of the app featuring the new icon seems to be rolling out in a phased manner. If you frequent Play Books, perhaps consider installing thelatest version from APKMirror.
