As we’ve seen in recent Pixel 4 leaks, Google has a number of design changes in mind in the near future for the Google Assistant on Pixel phones. For those of us who won’t be getting the “next-generation” Assistant right away, Google is also testing out a new UI for its proactive suggestions on Android.
As it stands today, when you invoke the Google Assistant on Android, you’re presented with the typical voice UI and a number of suggested actions contained in pill-shaped “chips.” While they flow nicely with the Material Design spec, these chips are not particularly good for trying to show more than two suggestions on screen at a time.
To make the Google Assistant even just a little handier, Google is experimenting with a new UI for the Google Assistant’s suggested actions, according to a tip we’ve received. Instead of presenting you with “chips” at the bottom of the screen, in this experiment the Google Assistant offers more traditional circle options above the usual Assistant UI.
Clearly, this new UI is superior at least in its ability to show four Google Assistant suggestions instead of two. These circles are also in line with many other aspects of the Google Pixel software design, including the Share Sheet and Quick Settings.
However, according to our tipster, the listed suggestions don’t appear to change, regardless of location or time of day. This further points to the early state that the experimental redesign is in.
We’re not yet sure what is required to potentially see this experiment on your own device, but the best way to position yourself to get the latest features in the Google app is to sign up for Beta updates. For more info about the latest Beta version of the Google app, check out our APK Insight.