Google added a two-line text box to Messages in December 2023. Later in January, this restricted deployment was extended to additional consumers. This meant that the top row of a chat window would be blank and the bottom row would have icons for the “+” menu, image attachments, voice messages, and emoticons. This design was unpopular even though it attempted to keep all the options easily accessible.
The new layout was deemed clumsy and unappealing by many users. The previous single line of icons seemed more logical and organize. Furthermore, several claimed that the image and “+” symbols beneath the text field felt like a waste of space because they were there all the time, especially when you weren’t actively creating a message with attachments.
It was obvious what the message was: users weren’t fans. Fortunately, it appears that Google can hear criticism well. Google Messages was reportedly thinking of going back to the single-line text field in April, according to reports. Finally, though a little bit at a time for the time being, Messages beta users are getting access to the single-line text field.
Return of Single-Line Text Field
It’s crucial to remember that not everywhere has seen this transition yet. According to reports, just a small percentage of Google Messages users running the app’s beta version 20240506_04_RC00 are reporting seeing it. Google is able to work out any possible faults with this phased rollout before releasing the update to the whole public.
So, what’s the takeaway? It demonstrates that the business is flexible enough to acknowledge when a design decision wasn’t the ideal one. For users who appreciate having their opinions heard, this rollback seems like a victory in a world where software changes may occasionally feel forced or needless.
The emoji and “plus” buttons now occupy separate columns, narrowing the text space in the process. In that sense, I like the current design more, even though you still have to scroll to read more than four lines of text.
Of course, opinions on the single-line design itself are still forming. Even with the somewhat smaller text field, some users might still prefer the two-line layout’s visual uniformity. The most important thing to remember from this is that Google is watching. Additionally, that kind of reactivity might go a long way toward keeping consumers satisfied in the dynamic world of messaging apps.
