Following our report at the start of this month, Google Photos for Android is rolling out its new gradient redesign of the homescreen icon.
Update 11/24: Version 7.55 is now widely rolling out on Android and iOS. Besides the homescreen, this new icon also appears in the top-left corner of the app bar.
After having the new design on my homescreen for a few days, the gradient effect absolutely takes a backseat. Instead, it looks more like the center of the icon has faded, especially the yellow. In one regard, this vaguely evokes nostalgia and faded photographs. But on the other hand, it doesn’t scream AI, while the resemblance to the other icons is minimal.
Original 11/19: The rounded semi-circle pinwheel shape is unchanged today. What’s new is a gradient fade that starts at the center where everything is lighter and then radiates out to the existing colors.
This redesign is not the most obvious to spot. At homescreen size, you’ll just notice how the center has a slight glow. That said, it’s not an easy icon to update to the new company style. The “brighter hues and gradient design” symbolize the “surge of AI-driven innovation and creative energy across” Google. It’s meant to stay “true to Google’s iconic four colors.”
Old vs. new
The new icon reflects the slew of AI-powered features that Google Photos has gained recently. This includes the conversational “Help me edit,” Nano Banana, Ask Photos search, Remix, and more.
Google Photos 7.55 is rolling out with this new icon.
This follows the new ’G’ for Google Search (which later went company-wide), the Gemini spark, and then Google Home. We also reported that Google Maps is getting a new icon.
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