Google is testing a cleaner iteration of Gemini where visual noise gets cut and attention returns to the conversation. Code within the most recent version of the Google app hints at a simplified input box, a single hub for advanced tools, and a new Gemini Labs area for experimenting with early features — all designed to keep clutter down without burying power-user controls.
A Floating Input Box With Less Friction for Users
The key difference is a floating single-row input box at the bottom of the display. Instead of a crowded ribbon of icons and configuration options, the default view highlights just one action: ask a question. When you tap to type, the field expands to two rows — I’m assuming it’s progressive disclosure here and that Google is exposing more controls only when tapping out text.
It is consistent with previous recommendations by Material Design and usability experts such as Nielsen Norman Group advising reducing cognitive load and simplifying the primary action. In practice, less is more in terms of a new user’s starting point, and the fewer compromises they need to make before beginning with Gemini, the better (fewer opportunities for them to second-guess their choice of designated first input).
Behind the curtain, the shift comes from tweaks spotted within Google app version 16.51.52. Though these features haven’t quite gone live for everybody, the UI looks more finished compared to previous builds, with refined spacing and a finalized visual hierarchy suggesting this design is close to seeing public testing.
Advanced Controls Redesigned Under One Button
For those who need more than hints alone, there’s a Plus button that corrals the attachment sheet and model picker into one panel.
That consolidation counts: When advanced behaviors are spread across many icons, it requires more hunting to track them down — and you’re more likely to make mode errors by selecting the wrong control from a crowded strip.
The overlay interface also sports a visible Tools icon. Tapping on it will take you to a menu for advanced features like Deep Research and Canvas. Deep Research is for multi-step investigations across large corpora. Canvas is a place to structure your ideas, visuals, and iterations without jumping around apps. Putting these features under an explicit Tools entry fits with the “simple by default, powerful when needed” philosophy.
There’s an equilibrium to be struck. A Tools button is another chance for clutter if it means too many panels appear. You can expect Google to iterate on spacing, grouping, and labeling to ensure that clarity is maintained, perhaps making use of contextual surfacing — showing the correct tools only when a user’s intent is obvious.
Gemini Labs Signals Faster Experimentation
Another interesting discovery is “Gemini Labs,” named within app strings for Gemini and attributed internally to its codename. The branding is in line with Google Labs and Search Labs, which offer toggles for unfinished Google features that are not yet suitable for general release. Count on Labs being the venue where early testers can switch on Deep Research variants, new canvases, or no-brainer engineering helpers and provide feedback that dictates broader release.
Centralizing experiments within Labs also keeps the main UI clean. Instead of dribbling incomplete options across the interface, Google can stuff them into one predictable place with warnings around every corner. For businesses and educators who implement AI capabilities at scale, that separation can be useful for governance and change management.
Why These Tweaks Make a Difference for Real Users
Chat-based AI thrives or dies by speed to first useful response. So trimming icon overload and cutting down on decision fatigue can shave off seconds in each interaction — multiply that by dozens of queries a day, and the efficiency gains add up. data.ai has continuously shown that users drop off rapidly with complex flows; simplifying Gemini’s entry point should lead to better retention and satisfaction.
The redesign also dovetails with most people’s mobile ergonomics. A floating, center-target input with fewer nearby tap targets increases one-handed accuracy based on Fitts’s Law. At the same time, accessing attachments and models from behind a single affordance eliminates horizontal sprawl and provides more room for larger touch targets — those being even more important on smaller screens.
What To Watch For As the Rollout Approaches
These changes are still in testing and could come in waves. Some things to look for:
- Whether the double-row field layout continues while in focus
- How the Tools menu is laid out and organized
- Which products are listed first in Gemini Labs
If Google strikes the right balance — minimal by default, cluttered as needed — Gemini could be less of a control panel and more of an assistant that gets out of your way.
The larger implication is strategic: It feels like Google might be standardizing a Gemini UX 2.0 pattern across entry points, both in the overlay and main app, with progressive disclosure as the core tenet. If executed gracefully, it might lower onboarding friction here, raise advanced workflows, and finally put an end to Gemini’s longstanding reputation for cluttered interfaces.