Google tests new design for Gboard emoji picker: What has changed

Gboard is a virtual keyboard app that is developed by Google and is available for both Android and iPhone users. This virtual keyboard features an option that allows access to emojis, stickers and GIFs and is one of the most heavily used interfaces on phones running the Gboard app. The tech giant is reportedly testing a new design for Gboard’s emoji picker and has rolled out the same for several beta testers. Gboard’s new design for the emoji picker is still under development and is expected to roll out to more users in the upcoming days.
Gboard’s emoji picker redesigned: What has changed
According to a report by 9to5Google, the new format seems like a minor redesign that will apply to all the emotive features available on Gboard with a top bar. Features including the pill-shaped search field, page name and back button also seem to appear in a similar position as it was earlier.

Moreover, the “All” tab is also likely to remain unchanged while the “Emoji” tab has been updated with several new changes. As per the screenshots shared in the report, the Emoji Kitchen carousel seems to be appearing below the top bar in the new test design. Considering this to be a heavily used feature, the new format also makes the panel look less cluttered. The redesign will also make search and category pickers to be the first thing to appear on the panel.
Apart from this, the latest design also affects the “Stickers”, “GIFs” and “Emoticons” tabs. The redesign has decluttered the top bar of “Stickers” and the other tabs will benefit from the UI consistency. The search lookup and the results UI on Gboard have also been updated with similar design principles.

The report mentions that a beta tester has faced issues with the new design while returning to the keyboard from the emoji picker. The user discovered that the “ABC” button is missing in the latest design.
Currently, this button is placed on the bottom-left corner of the emoji picker and helps users quickly return to the keyboard. Users are already accustomed to this button and it will be better if Gboard keeps it unchanged.