Get ready for a design evolution! Google's Phone app is undergoing a subtle yet significant transformation.
In addition to the recent Call Reason feature announcement, Phone by Google is experimenting with a sleeker bottom bar, aligning with the Material 3 Expressive design language.
The dialer app, after its M3 Expressive redesign, initially retained the taller bottom bar from Google's previous design guidelines. However, the latest beta version introduces a new navigation bar size, bringing it in line with Material 2's height. This change is being rolled out server-side, so it's not yet widely available in the preview program.
But here's where it gets controversial... Google has also tweaked the pill-shaped tab indicator, making it slightly narrower, and changed the label's text color. While these adjustments might seem minor, they're part of a broader effort to ensure consistency across Google's first-party apps.
And this is the part most people miss: the impact of these changes on the user experience. While the shorter bottom bar doesn't reveal more content or affect touch targets, it's a step towards a more unified design language across Google's ecosystem.
Let's compare the old and new:
Old vs. New:
Most Google apps have already adopted the shorter bottom bar size, but there are a few notable exceptions:
- Google Fi
- Google Home: A change was tested but later reverted on some devices.
- Google Password Manager
- Google Photos
- Google TV: A bug was reported where the 'Your Stuff' feed wasn't updated, creating a visual gap.
- Pixel Journal
- Quick Share
Stay tuned to 9to5Google for more updates on these design changes and their impact on the user experience.
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What do you think about these subtle design adjustments? Do you prefer the consistency across apps, or do you think it's a step too far? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
