Google Messages is addressing a significant UI annoyance that many users have been vocal about. The app, known for its frequent updates, has made strides in handling user feedback. While Google often rolls out updates to enhance the app, some changes have been met with mixed reactions.
Back in June, the gallery and camera interface was redesigned, but it wasn’t universally appreciated.
The June update combined both the camera and gallery functions into one interface. When tapping the button to the right of the text field, it would show a viewfinder at the top of the screen and a photo grid at the bottom. While this change might have seemed like a simple update, it irritated users who didn’t want to open the camera every time they tried to attach a photo. For those users, the only solution was to turn off the camera in Google Messages entirely.
Another complaint was that when tapping the gallery icon, it would open a full-screen viewfinder that dominated the screen, leaving only a small photo grid in the remaining space, completely obscuring the conversation. This made the user experience frustrating for many.
But Google has heard the complaints. The company is now offering users the option to access the camera and gallery separately. By tapping the ‘plus’ icon on the right, users can choose whether they want to open the camera or access the gallery. However, the previous combined interface is still an option. If users tap the camera icon in the text field, they will still see the original combined interface.
This update essentially gives users the freedom to choose which interface they prefer. While Google hasn’t ruled out merging the viewfinder and gallery again in the future, this is unlikely to happen until more users adapt to the new system. For now, Google’s decision to keep both options available is a sensible one, as both the camera and gallery are commonly used features. Removing or combining them could have caused unnecessary friction in the user experience.
According to 9to5Google, this update is being rolled out gradually on the latest Google Messages beta version.