Google assessments a backside bar for Search, once more

Abstract

• Google is experimenting with a brand new Materials Design 3 backside bar for its most important app, making it extra user-friendly with easy accessibility to go looking.
• The change goals to enhance one-handed operation by integrating the search bar into the underside bar, much like the design we noticed in November.
• Nevertheless, the UI flaw nonetheless persists with Google’s traditional gentle blue shade for the underside bar, missing dynamic theming seen in different apps.

On-screen visible components play an enormous position in supplementing or degrading the perceived ease of use for apps, and that’s true for every part from one of the best social apps to Google’s creations like YouTube, Uncover, and the principle app for search. A backside bar is already accessible on many of the firm’s creations, however the principle Google app is a notable outlier. Nevertheless, the underside bar has made a comeback not too long ago with new Materials Design components.

Google is not any stranger to the underside bar design — it helped Chat and Meet integrations with Gmail, gave Maps its signature UI, and YouTube wouldn’t be the identical with out one. The corporate has repeatedly dabbled with the same design on the principle Search app as nicely, solely to roll again to an older UI design quickly after. Modifications started in 2021, and the newest take a look at was noticed in November final yr.

Search bar turns into simpler to succeed in

This week, an X consumer (previously Twitter) noticed the revival of the identical design we noticed in November, albeit with a slight change (through 9to5Google). The earlier take a look at used a Materials Design 2-spec backside bar with a traditional Search discipline appended above it, such as you would discover in your Uncover feed. Nevertheless, the newest take a look at switches to Materials Design 3 specs for the underside bar, highlighting the chosen tab utilizing a pill-shaped define, whereas integrating the super-tall Search bar into the underside bar.

The MD3 backside bar is seen in Play Retailer imagery for the app as nicely, however the built-in search field is absent. Since that is the second time we’ve noticed the change, there’s an opportunity Google rolls out the UI design to extra customers quickly. It will be a pleasing visible change, just like the bottom-aligned omnibox in Chrome, and can be simpler to succeed in along with your thumbs as nicely. Simpler one-handed operation may very well be significantly useful in conditions the place you don’t need to summon a voice assistant both.

Sadly, the UI aspect nonetheless makes use of Google’s traditional gentle blue shade to distinguish the underside bar from the house for outcomes and your Uncover feed. There’s no dynamic theming though it is a first-party app, however it isn’t stunning both, as a result of we’ve seen comparable habits within the Play Retailer and Gmail, to call a pair. We sincerely hope Google addresses this UI flaw quickly as nicely.