Google has begun testing a radical redesign of the main interface of its popular chat application Google Messages on Android, currently limiting this update to users of the Beta version. The new update focuses on three structural changes aimed at modifying the way users interact with chats and redistributing interactive elements on the screen for easier use.
Prominent Profile Picture for Pinned Chats
The first modification includes a fundamental change in how Pinned Chats are displayed; instead of listing them at the top of the message list in the traditional way, Google relies on utilizing the top space that previously held only the app logo and search option to display large circular profile pictures of pinned contacts above all chats. This move resembles the display style used in the iMessage application on Apple's iOS system.
Although this design gives important chats quick visual prominence, it carries a drawback in removing the preview of the last message sent or the date of interaction with those chats, depriving the user of a quick look at the details of the latest messages without opening the conversation.
Floating Search Button Facilitating One-Handed Use
The second update involved repositioning the search bar; Google eliminated the traditional top search and tested converting it into a Floating Action Button (FAB) located in the bottom center of the screen next to the Start chat button. When scrolling down, the search option turns into an outlined oval button featuring the word Search, while adjacent buttons shrink to facilitate browsing.
This move aims to improve the one-handed user experience, especially with the continuous increase in smartphone screen sizes, making accessing search at the bottom of the screen more convenient for users compared to the old top bar.
Relocating the Gemini Assistant Shortcut to the Top Corner
In the third modification, Google removed the Floating Action Button for the AI assistant Gemini from the bottom of the screen, replacing it with a new icon in the top right corner next to the user's personal account picture. This change comes to unify the design language followed in Google Workspace apps on desktop and mobile devices.
What Practically Changes for Users?
This update reflects Google's continuous effort to achieve a balance between interface aesthetics and ease of access to core services like artificial intelligence and search. Despite the practical benefits of the new design in one-handed use, eliminating the preview text in pinned chats might face criticism from users accustomed to quickly reading message snippets.
It is worth noting that the update is currently being rolled out gradually via the app's beta channel, appearing to some users in partial enhancement packages, ahead of a full and expanded release in upcoming stable updates.