Google Meet has recently begun rolling out a new tile redesign, bringing a fresh and modern touch to its user interface. The update was noted by Android Central’s Editor-in-Chief, Shruti Shekar, on April 25.
This redesign focuses on enhancing the appearance of user tiles for those who have their cameras off. Previously, tiles featured a dull gray background with the user’s circular profile icon.
With the new update, these tiles now showcase vibrant colors sampled from users’ profile pictures, creating a more visually appealing backdrop. This innovative “color-sampling” feature was mentioned earlier this year during a major Google update announcement.
Instead of the bland gray, users can now enjoy a background that reflects colors from their profile pictures, resulting in a classy and modern design. For example, one user observed a brown brick hue, while another’s tile featured a calming bluish tone.
Additionally, the user’s profile icon has been enlarged and blurred into the background, adding depth to the tile. While these changes have been noted on Mac laptops, it’s unclear if they are rolling out simultaneously across different operating systems, such as Windows or iOS.
Meanwhile, Google has been enhancing Meet’s functionalities, providing updates that improve user experiences, including a mode designed for on-the-go calling with larger buttons and an audio-only option. Moreover, Meet has introduced fun features like “stacked” effects, allowing users to add engaging accessories to their video feeds.
The overall visual upgrades, including the dynamic layouts which crop unnecessary background space, aim to prioritize the faces of users during calls, showcasing Google’s commitment to enhancing the video conferencing experience.