Google appears to be preparing a major Gemini app interface refresh, with a redesigned camera viewfinder and revamped ‘@’ menu reportedly discovered in the latest Google app version.
Google appears to be working on several interface changes for its Gemini app, potentially bringing a redesigned camera experience and a significant overhaul of the menu that appears when users type the “@” symbol in a conversation.
The changes were spotted in Google app version 17.55.8, suggesting that the company is testing a new design before potentially making it available to users more broadly.
Gemini camera interface gets a new look
The most noticeable change concerns Gemini’s camera interface. Currently, opening the camera through the “+” attachment menu launches a full-screen viewfinder, temporarily covering the conversation.
The upcoming design takes a different approach. The camera viewfinder is expected to occupy roughly half of the display, allowing users to continue seeing the contents of their chat while using the camera.
A handle at the top of the viewfinder would allow users to expand the camera to full screen or minimise it. The interface also includes a back button and a redesigned shutter button.
However, the new layout could introduce one usability drawback. The camera switcher, which currently allows users to quickly move between the front and rear cameras, appears to have been moved into a three-dot menu.
The redesigned interface also bears some similarities to the camera experience found in the ChatGPT app, although the two implementations are not identical.
Gemini ‘@’ menu could be redesigned
Google also appears to be preparing changes to Gemini’s “@” menu, which lets users access connected apps and other features directly from a conversation.
The current menu displays a row of connected applications, including apps that have been disabled. The redesigned version could address this by hiding disabled connected apps, making the menu cleaner and more compact.
The refreshed menu may also be labelled “Connectors” and feature a wider design with rounded corners.
At the bottom, users could find a “Connect apps” option that takes them directly to the Connected Apps page. An Avatars section is also expected to appear, showing the user’s existing avatar alongside an “Add avatar” option.
No confirmed rollout yet
It is important to note that these features are still under development. The fact that the interfaces can be activated in an internal version of the Google app does not guarantee that Google will release them publicly.
Google could modify the designs further or abandon some of the changes before a wider rollout.
For now, the camera redesign and revamped “@” menu indicate that Google is continuing to refine the Gemini user interface, with more changes potentially arriving in a future update.