Google Gemini's UI Overhaul: Enhancing User Experience with Redesigned Model Switcher

This Gemini UI change should've been the default from the start (APK teardown)

Moving the model switcher to the bottom of the screen should make it much easier to switch AI models with one hand. The current location requires you to reach the top of your phone display to switch models. That's not ideal if you've got a large phone or small hands, necessitating some hand shuffling or the use of your other hand. So we're glad to see this change and hope it's available to all users sooner rather than later. This isn't the only change we've spotted, as it looks like Google will also tweak the video menu. Gemini currently displays the video generation model and an associated description in a card just above the prompt field. However, the company could drop this card in favor of denoting the video generation model at the top of the page (see the second image below). The text below "Veo 3 Fast (preview)" in the second image is just a placeholder for now, though.

Google Gemini could finally make one of its core features easier to access

One of the best things about Google Gemini is that it provides instant access to multiple powerful AI models directly on your smartphone. With Google adding newer and more powerful models, users have more reasons to access the model switcher. However, Gemini's model switcher is positioned at the top of the screen, which can prove challenging to access if you're using the phone with one hand (as I often do). Thankfully, Google appears to be working on a fix for this particular shortcoming in a future update. An APK teardown of the Google Gemini beta (version 16.31.75.sa.arm64) by Android Authority contributor AssembleDebug has revealed development on a relocated model switcher, specifically in the prompt box right at the bottom of the screen. This makes the model switcher more easily accessible, regardless of which hand you're using to operate the phone. This is one of those design choices that you would have expected to see from the outset, particularly given the prevalence of large-screen smartphones in the market. But it's better late than never, as the saying goes. Another UI change is in the offing Current model switcher (left) vs Upcoming (middle and right) In addition to the relocated model switcher in the Gemini app (pictured above), Google is also planning to remove the Veo 3 description text. Currently, Gemini users with access to Veo 3 will find a text box just above the prompt bar that describes Veo 3's capabilities in a couple of lines. Android Authority's research found that Google could get rid of this box in favor of a Veo 3 indicator at the top of the screen. Close Current Veo 3 description text vs Upcoming As you can see in the second screenshot above, tapping the Video pill in the prompt box triggers a welcome message at the top. Meanwhile, the rest of the text shown in the screenshot (welcome to this view holder) appears to be placeholder text that could be changed in time for the wider rollout of these design tweaks. The existing system of describing what Veo 3 does at the bottom of the screen is a decent way to introduce new users to Gemini's video generation capabilities. Perhaps Google will only display this description to first-time users and not make it persistent, which would be an understandable change. We must also remember that this is likely an early implementation of what Google has in mind, so we will wait until the design changes are official before passing any judgment. We can certainly see how the model switcher's relocation would be handy, particularly for those who frequently switch between different Gemini models. What do you make of these potential design changes?