Google Messages for Android is testing a homepage redesign with three structural changes: pinned chat avatars at the top of the thread list, a search bar moved to the bottom of the screen, and a Gemini shortcut in the corner.
The bottom search placement follows the thumb-reachability logic seen in other Google apps. The pinned chat avatar strip changes how users navigate frequent contacts visually, without opening a conversation. These are interface decisions, not cosmetic ones, and the reasoning behind each placement is worth reading in the original.
This redesign ships alongside a separate app icon gradient update, suggesting a broader Material You overhaul is in progress for Messages. No release date is confirmed. Watch for a staged rollout in the coming weeks.
[READ ORIGINAL →]