Google continues its trend of simplifying its Android apps, this time focusing on Google News. This redesign follows similar updates to Google Maps earlier this year. So, what’s changed?
The primary focus of this Google News refresh is streamlining the bottom navigation bar. Previously, users navigated four sections: For you, Headlines, Following, and Newsstand. The new design merges “For you” and “Headlines” into a single “Home” tab, which serves as the default content feed. The “Following” and “Newsstand” tabs remain unchanged.
Old look of Google News (left) and the new redesign.
A new category carousel appears at the top of the app, providing direct access to Headlines, Local, U.S., World, Business, Technology, Entertainment, Sports, Science, and Health. These categories were previously nested within the “Headlines” section. This change reduces navigation steps and simplifies content discovery.
Instead of underlining the active category in the carousel, the new design highlights the selected feed for improved visibility. This maintains one-handed usability while making navigation more intuitive.
Simplified Navigation: A Growing Trend
Google’s decision to consolidate the Google News bottom bar from four to three tabs mirrors similar changes in Google Photos and Google Maps. This reduction not only simplifies navigation but also enhances the app’s aesthetic with a cleaner, more minimalist look that aligns with Material You design principles.
The redesigned Google News (version 5.120.x) is rolling out on Android via a server-side update. While not yet available for iOS, the update is expected to arrive soon. However, the redesign retains the blue accent color, forgoing dynamic color theming on Android.
