Google’s Gemini AI app could soon be getting a big makeover (techcrunch.com)

Google appears to be testing a visual redesign for its Gemini Android app that shifts away from a chat-first interface toward a scrollable, media-rich home feed. A reverse engineer who dug into a recent app build unlocked a new home screen (not yet public) that moves shortcuts like “Create Image” and “Deep Research” to the top and follows them with a feed of suggested prompts paired with photos. Example prompts seen in the code include creative image edits (“teleport me to deep space,” “give me a vintage look”), feature-driven suggestions (“brainstorm out loud with Live,” “send me a daily news roundup”), and task-oriented shortcuts — all aimed at surfacing use cases rather than leaving capabilities to user discovery. Google declined to comment on any launch plans. If Google rolls out this UI, it could materially affect user engagement and competitive positioning in consumer AI. A discovery-focused feed would make Gemini’s multimodal features (notably its Nano Banana image model, which helped the app reach No. 1 on the App Store in September) easier to find and use, potentially boosting retention and creative usage. The move also contrasts with the minimalist ChatGPT experience and targets momentum created by visual-first rivals like OpenAI’s Sora. Technically, the change highlights product-level strategy — surfacing prompts, images and feature shortcuts — to increase interaction with Gemini’s image, research and “Live” capabilities.