Although the Google app isn’t the most visually appealing product from the firm, a minor carousel refresh on Android gives it a somewhat more unified look.
Update 10/18: The Google app’s new colorful Search shortcuts are starting to show up everywhere in the stable channel this week (version 15.40). The absence of text labels makes them more compact and contributes to the app’s less crowded appearance.
In the future, a Material 3 bottom bar should be anticipated.
Initial 8/30: Before, the Search bar had five pill-shaped shortcuts beneath it. Each has a name, an icon, and a brief explanation.
- Photo search: From your library
- Text translation: Using your camera
- Finish your homework: Using your camera
- Name the song: By paying attention
- Purchase goods: Within your screen grabs
The double carousel style of the app added a lot of clutter, and the text, which blended capital letters and sentences, was a little awkward.
Google has now made the shortcuts simpler, with simply icons, a lower size, and a colorful background that makes them stick out much more. The majority launch Google Lens, with Sound Search being the final. To convey each function, the icons more than suffice.
This method has the added benefit of allowing you to view all four at once. Scrolling is only useful if you have recently captured an analyzeable screenshot. In the meanwhile, it no longer appears to be a carousel, making the “your space” cards below—which are pleasant and easy to scan—more noticeable.
The Google Search app for iOS has been using this look for a while.