These speculated modifications are apparently circulating within Google’s test environment.
Google is allegedly experimenting with several tweaks for its Docs application on Android, including a more smartphone-optimized positioning for the formatting tool. This tool might find its place in the bottom toolbar, alongside an additional enhancement for the app’s search capability, potentially introducing filters to improve file discoverability. Google Docs received a significant upgrade that integrated Gemini for Android users, enabling them to summarize lengthy documents and obtain responses to their inquiries.
It appears that Google is developing a future upgrade for its Docs application on Android that could significantly enhance the user experience.
These rumored modifications were identified by Android Authority in a recent version of the Google Docs app for Android. There are two primary updates that Google is said to be testing, one of which entails a more smartphone-optimized (one-handed) redesign. According to the publication, this redesign pertains to the formatting tool of the Docs app. Google has been seen relocating this tool to the lower part of the app’s UI, within the toolbar that generally contains options like bold, italics, bullet points, and more.
The article even mentions a notification that Google could issue once this update goes live, which points users to the new location of the formatting tool.
The lower bar is also experiencing a minor, yet beneficial, modification. In collaboration with the informant AssembleDebug, the article indicates that the toolbar at the base of a Doc on Android might be “horizontally scrollable.”
Another more notable update observed in testing pertains to new search filters in Docs for Android. These filters can be utilized in searches within the application, encompassing options for file type, owner (file creator), and modification date (last changed). Classifying content by type will reveal any stored documents, presentations, and spreadsheets.
Cohesively linking all this is Google’s Material 3 Expressive design language, which the informant claims to have been identified in the tests. Android’s new design language has been gradually integrating into an increasing number of Google applications, so this potential shift isn’t particularly unexpected.
It remains unclear when users will be able to access this update, as the modifications were noted following an APK teardown of v1.25.381.00.90.
Google recently showed some affection to its Android users with a Docs update, as Gemini rolled out. Android users received Gemini’s intelligence for swift document summaries and the AI’s capability to respond to questions about their files. Additionally, Gemini’s functionality could assist users in quickly drafting by organizing their initial thoughts into a more workable format.
Gemini’s presence in Google’s Workspace applications didn’t end there, as a substantial AI release offered personalized suggestions based on individual user data for Calendar, Gmail, Keep, and more.
