Google Messages homescreen redesign removes nav drawer [U: Beta]

Google is redesigning the Messages homescreen in an interesting way that replaces the navigation drawer and introduces key branding into the Android app. 

Update 7/24: Google Messages has widely rolled out the homescreen redesign to those in the beta channel. 20230719_05_RC00 is the latest version, but this new top bar is a server-side update today. It’s not yet appearing for stable users, but this revamp looks pretty definite as testing ramps up.

Message organization is still not available with this new look, though Google could bring it back later. Meanwhile, Google does not appear to have a prompt yet directing people to tap their avatar for access to what was previously located in the hamburger menu/navigation drawer. It’s causing some confusion.

Update 7/19: We’re seeing the Google Messages homescreen redesign again with beta version 20230717_01_RC00. There’s now an app bar with a darker shade of Dynamic Color instead of the top section being completely flat.

We’re not seeing Message organization, which just reappeared for beta users, enabled with this revamp. Meanwhile, Google has ever so slightly tweaked the search filters. This new look is not yet widely rolled out.

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Original 6/13: Instead of a full-width search bar, you just get a magnifying glass icon. In the top-left corner, you have Google’s four-color “G” logo followed by “Messages.” 

The navigation drawer and its hamburger icon have been removed with those options now in the account menu. Archived, Spam & blocked, Mark all as read, and Device pairing appear first, with Your data in Messages, Messages settings, and Help & feedback unchanged. Meanwhile, Google has moved “Choose theme” into the settings menu.

Messages gained a navigation drawer in early 2022 after previously only leveraging an overflow menu. At the time, this was seen as bucking the direction of modern Google app design.

Old vs. new

A small change in search sees Google drop the “Categories” carousel for a standard grid that requires less scrolling: Starred, Images, Videos, Places, Links, Unread, Known, and Unknown.

The navigation drawer in Messages was inefficient, with only a few items, and not needed compared to apps like Gmail (with its long list folders and labels), as well as Calendar. This account menu approach, which other first-party apps like the Google Play Store have also adopted, is more efficient. Additionally, the full search bar, though a staple of Google apps, was also unnecessary.

More interesting to me is the “G” logo in the top-left corner that serves as very explicit Google branding that denotes how this is how the company wants you to message. It can be seen as part of Google’s ongoing RCS campaign. 

We’re seeing this homescreen redesign rolled out with version 20230608_01_RC00 of Google Messages that was released yesterday to the beta channel. This redesign is not yet widely available, but feels like a definite modernization. 

Old vs. new

More on Google Messages:

AT&T switching to Google’s Jibe platform for RCS

Messages Magic Compose beta starts rolling out: RCS only, priority for Google One subs

Google Messages adding mark as read/unread swipe action

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