Google will introduce another visual refresh for its Gemini overlay on Android in 2025. The change updates how the interface appears and interacts when activated. Instead of sliding up from the bottom as a single bar, the overlay now starts as a small circle just above the gesture bar. That circle quickly expands into a full-width pill, replacing the older rounded rectangle animation.
This redesign follows earlier updates aimed at making Gemini more visually engaging for Android users. The company introduced the four-color glow in a recent change, which remains in the current design. The new animation feels softer and more fluid, giving the overlay a livelier appearance. Google is testing the latest look with a limited audience before a broader rollout.
A New Animation That Starts Small and Expands
The key change is how the overlay launches on screen. The previous version slid upward in one motion, revealing the prompt bar in a rectangular shape. The 2025 redesign begins with a compact circle near the gesture bar, which then stretches into a pill-shaped bar across the bottom of the display. This motion gives the interface a more dynamic entrance compared to the older, blockier transition.
While the animation is different, the layout and core functions remain familiar. Users still see the plus menu on the left, the “Ask Gemini” hint in the center, and the microphone and Gemini Live button on the right. A drag handle is available to expand the overlay into the full app. The changes focus entirely on the look and feel of the initial interaction.
Design Consistency With Gemini’s Visual Identity
Retained in the redesign is the four-color glow (red, yellow, green, blue). This point of visual aspect keeps framing the over cover throughout usage which sustains the brand-awareness. The aura is engaged in case of the text input, voice queries, and Gemini Live sessions, so the update does not seem lonely in the environment. Google has maintained this detail in order to not distract the current users by the change in the appearance.
The next matching update is seen in the “Share screen with Live” chip which now looks like the same shape of the overlay a pill-shaped chip. This alteration brings consistency among interactive components, so the interface seems more complete. It also assists the design to keep in line with the other rounded components of the Android.
A Softer, More Playful User Interface
Gemini experience becomes more playful with the help of the new pill animation. Its motion has been compared to the Gemini Live waveform which uses smooth and rounded animations. The result is a friendlier interface that is apparently dynamic without and any bit of rigidity. It is unlike the older one which may appear rigid due to its linear sliding upwards and downwards motion.
There is however, a visual similarity in the change in shape drawing some parallels to the Google circle to Google search interface. Both also have rounded, bulging figures in their animation now. Although this can result in slight similarity of the two features, the color glow and tool positioning are also factors that make a distinction of Gemini against other Android functions.
Functionality Remains Unchanged
In this rollout, Google has no new functions. All the interactive elements are retained in their normal location in the redesign. Additional features can still be found in the plus menu, and typed queries are dealt with differently via the “Ask Gemini” hint bar. There is still an option of voice input using the microphone and reaction like Gemini Live.
The drag handle still allows the user easy access to the entire Gemini application. This stability means that users do not need to cope with new controls or navigation. With the view to updating the company’s visual appearance, the company seems to concentrate on implementing/supplementing its look without reshaping workflows.
Limited Rollout Before Wider Release
Like other releases in the past, Google is launching the redesign progressively. Android initially has limited access to a small group of users to enable the firm to collect feedback and eliminate problems. Such a staged process minimizes the possibility that the situation will upset the whole user population aesthetically or functionally. It also grants the developers the much-needed time to adjust.
The exact timeline for a full U.S. release has not been announced. However, the company’s history with past Gemini updates suggests a broader rollout may follow within weeks. The January 2025 redesign, which replaced a tall rectangular card with the rounded rectangle, reached most users shortly after initial testing.
Part of an Ongoing Visual Evolution
Google has also regular modified the visual style of the Gemini, since its debut on Android. Every transformation has been aimed at making the overlay correlate with the rest of the firm’s design language and maintaining functionality. The present tablet-like animation is a further step into a smoother and seamless interface. This development is indicative of the fact that Google has a strategy of becoming similar to something that is not so good in a reasonable balance between something that is known and that which can be improved over time.
For U.S. Android users, the updates formed part of a better, more appealing user experience on Google services overall. The newest redesign retains the essence of the Gemini tools but makes the interface fresher and friendlier. With the rollout, more people will witness the newer animation designed and observe how it fits in their daily lives within Gemini.