Key Points:
- Google Messages is testing a flat design for the app bar in dark mode.
- The app bar’s color now matches the conversation list background.
- Contact color backgrounds in the New conversation list have been updated.
Google Messages might soon feature a flatter app bar design, alongside updated contact colors, enhancing its visual appeal and consistency. In the latest beta version (20240521_00_RC00), Google Messages is experimenting with a flatter app bar when the dark theme is enabled. Previously, the app bar had a slightly lighter background to differentiate it from the conversation list.
However, this change now sees the app bar adopting the same background color as the message list, creating a uniform and flat visual. This adjustment, while purely aesthetic, presents a sleek, modern look, with the “Start chat” floating action button (FAB) standing out as the sole element breaking the visual flatness. Notably, this change has no functional impact and remains exclusive to the dark theme, suggesting it might be an experimental feature or a potential bug.
Additionally, there’s a subtle update in the New conversation list. Traditionally, when contacts lack a profile photo, Google Contacts, Messages, and Phone apps display the first initial on a colored background. Messages have now deviated from Contacts and Phone by introducing a new color palette. This update includes darker shades for light mode and pastel hues for the dark theme, adding a fresh touch to the user interface.
These updates, observed on devices running Android 14 and 15, hint at Google’s ongoing efforts to refine and enhance the visual coherence of its messaging app.
