Google's hugely popular smartphone apps have long been accused of feeling "alien" on Apple devices, but that may soon change.
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The search engine giant just announced that it is working on updating the design of its apps to better match the look and feel of iOS, lead app designer Jeff Verkoeyen said in a Twitter post.
What will this look like in practice? The changes will be subtle in some aspects, such as the addition of more rounded buttons to conform to iOS standardization, and more overt in others, with redesigned banners, floating action buttons, bottom navigation tabs, and more. The company has stated that the apps will retain “light branding” even after the overhaul.
The process has been time-consuming, due to the inherent differences between Google's user interface kit, SwiftUI, and Apple's own UIKit. Google has yet to reveal when the updates will officially roll out or whether they will be released gradually, app by app, or all at once.
