In addition to the new app icon, Google Messages for Android is testing a major homepage redesign featuring three main components.
Pinned Discussions
Update 11/7: Instead of pinned chats simply appearing at the top of the list, Google Messages is attempting a redesign that significantly elevates them above all conversations.
Current
This redesign takes advantage of the existing background layer which currently only houses the logo/wordmark, search, and account menu.
You’ll see large contact photos appear above all chats, which pushes the list of other chats to the bottom of the page. Like iMessage on iOS, this layout has the disadvantage of not showing history or information about recent sends.
Lower search
Meanwhile, Google is testing another change in which search becomes a centered floating action button (FAB) next to a new chat. When you scroll down, you’ll see “Search” in a pill-shaped button, with the other button minimized.
Otherwise, you will see a circular magnifying glass icon and “Start Chat” in the pill. The animation that accompanies this change looks nice and feels lively, while improving one-handed usability.
New versus old
Gemini Corner Shortcut
Google has replaced the Gemini FAB with a button in the upper right corner next to your profile picture. This matches the design used by Workspace applications on desktop and mobile.
These updates are currently in beta and have not yet been widely rolled out to all testers. Some users have mastered all aspects of the redesign, but it seems that Google is rolling out the different components in a piecemeal fashion.
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