In addition to the new app icon, Google Messages for Android is testing a big home page redesign that has three main components. Pinned Chats Update 7/11: Instead of pinned chats simply appearing at the top of the list, Google Messages is attempting a redesign that elevates them significantly above all conversations. Current This redesign takes advantage of the existing background layer that currently houses the logo/wordmark, search, and account menu. Advertisement: Scroll to see more content. You’ll see large contact photos appearing above all chats, which moves the list of other conversations down the page. Like iMessage on iOS, this layout has the disadvantage of not showing any history or the last information sent. Bottom Search Meanwhile, Google is testing another change where search becomes a centered floating action button (FAB) alongside the new chat. When you scroll down the page, you’ll see “Search” in a pill-shaped button, with the other button minimized. Otherwise, you’ll see a circular magnifying glass icon and “Start Chat” on the pill. The animation that accompanies this change looks good and feels alive, while also improving one-handed usability. New vs. Old Corner Gemini Shortcut Google has replaced Gemini FAB with a button in the top right corner next to your profile picture. This matches the design leveraged by Workspace apps on desktop and mobile devices. These updates are currently in the beta channel and have not yet been widely rolled out to all testers. Some users have all aspects of the redesign, but it seems that Google is implementing the various components in a piecemeal way. More about Google Messages: FTC: We use automatic affiliate links to generate income. Further.
