If something about Gmail for Android looks a little different, you’re right. Gmail’s search bar, like Google Chat, is now larger to follow the latest Material 3 design guidelines.
Specifically, the bar height is now 56 dp, as specified by the M3 guidelines for search components. Last time it was 48dp.
It’s basically more padding above and below the center text, but Google seems to have changed the color. In this case, there will be more gray and less or no dynamic color.
The field will only appear slightly above the screen, and other content will only be pushed down slightly. There is no functional difference other than a slightly larger touch target, but it helps to meet the preferences of users who want a wider component.
old and new
We first noticed this change this week in Gmail (version 2023.10.15.x, still with out-of-spec bottom bar) and Google Chat (2023.10.15.x). Of course, both are Google Workspace apps, which suggests that Drive, Keep, Docs, Meet, and other apps will also update their search fields over time. Other Google apps should follow suit.
Previously, more first-party applications had a full-width search field at the beginning of the screen, but Google Messages moved away from that with its home screen redesign, and the Play Store narrowed that field.
The Google (Search) app, on the other hand, has an even larger field above the Discover feed, but it still looks very out of place.
Dylan Roussel contributed to this article.
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