Gemini could take a page from ChatGPT’s book for this design update

Brady Snyder / Android AuthorityAdd Android Authority on Google: TL;DR The Google Gemini app is testing a couple of design updates, specifically for the camera interface and the @ menu. Interestingly, the under-development camera interface appears to be inspired by the ChatGPT mobile app. Meanwhile, the @ menu refresh could make it cleaner while also hiding disabled Connected Apps from view. The Google Gemini app’s overall UI has changed a fair bit over the past couple of years, and all signs point to more changes coming up. We recently spotted design tweaks to the Gemini Live interface, and can now report on a possible refresh of the app’s camera UI, along with a significant overhaul of the ‘@’ menu.You’re reading an Authority Insights story. Authority Insights brings you all the latest exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage from the Android Authority team that you won’t find anywhere else.Looking into version 17.55.8 of the Google app, we’ve managed to activate a brand-new camera interface for Gemini that looks quite familiar. In its current form, accessing the camera interface via the ‘+’ attachment menu opens a full-screen viewfinder. However, we’ve found that Google is prepping an update that will have the viewfinder cover roughly half the screen, while the rest of the chat’s contents remain visible.While this would typically be a decent user-centric visual overhaul, it’s hard to ignore the similarities with the ChatGPT app’s camera interface. Google’s implementation appears to float over the chat, while the ChatGPT camera UI is visibly larger and touches the bottom of the screen. There’s also a handle at the top of this under-development Gemini viewfinder that lets you expand to full screen or minimize it altogether.We’re also seeing a back button and a slightly retouched camera shutter key. However, the camera switcher has moved inside the three-dot menu. This would be a regression from the current design that lets you switch between the front and back cameras with a single tap.A revamped @ menu may also be in the works Also in the same Google app version, we’ve unearthed a couple of changes to the @ menu that pops up when you type the symbol in the chat. Right now, the @ menu displays a row of your Connected Apps, including the disabled ones. Google could clean this area up a bit in a future update. First things first, this menu could be headlined “Connectors” while becoming wider with rounded edges. Also, the menu won’t display Connected Apps that the user has disabled, thereby saving a bit of space.Scrolling to the bottom of the redesigned @ menu reveals the “Connect apps” option, which will redirect users to the Connected Apps page. The last section in this @ menu refresh is the Avatars section, where you’ll see your existing avatar. We’re also seeing an “Add avatar” option here, which seems redundant for accounts that already have one set up.As with most of these early feature discoveries, being able to activate them doesn’t necessarily mean Google will roll them out in the future. In any case, we’ll keep an ear to the ground for any further developments on these design changes.⚠️ 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.Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.