Google Delays Features
Google has delayed launching several features, including a floating bottom bar for Google Photos and a key redesign for Gboard, despite showcasing them earlier.
Key points
- Google Photos for Android still lacks a floating bottom bar, available on iOS since February.
- Gboard's pill-shaped key redesign, tested since March 2025, has not been widely released.
- The delays affect apps like Google Fi, Voice, and Passwords, which retain older designs.
- Analysts say the slow rollout may be due to Google's focus on Material 3 Expressive and Android 16 QPR1, launched last August.
- The delays have sparked mixed reactions, with some critics arguing it hinders user experience, while supporters see it as a sign of careful development.
Google has been working on several new features for its apps, but their release has been delayed. The Google Photos app for Android is still using a tall Material 3-era bottom bar, unlike its iOS counterpart which received a floating toolbar in February. Similarly, Gboard's key redesign, which was tested in March 2025, has not been made available to all users. Other Google apps like Google Fi, Voice, and Passwords also retain older designs. The slow rollout of these features may be attributed to Google's focus on Material 3 Expressive and Android 16 QPR1, which were launched last August. The delays have sparked mixed reactions, with some critics arguing that it hinders user experience, while supporters see it as a sign of careful development.
Sources
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