- Google Messages could soon get a significant design overhaul.
- We recently gave you an early look at the updated search UI for the messaging app.
- In its latest beta release, we’ve spotted similar design changes for the Start chat interface.
An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
Like the new search UI we saw last month, the revamped “Start chat” UI brings more rounded elements. The New conversation page has a pill-shaped text input field at the top, followed by a larger Create group button, a dedicated Gemini card with rounded edges, and an updated contacts list with individual cards for each contact.
These changes appear to be part of a UI makeover codenamed “Cool Ranch Phase 3.” While it doesn’t bring any functional updates to Google Messages, the refreshed design gives the app a more modern look. The previously shared search UI revamp and the redesigned Start chat UI are not live for users in the latest beta release (version messages.android_20250304_00_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic). We expect Google to roll it out with a future build, and we’ll update this post as soon as it’s available.