[Update: Android] Google Meet for iOS redesigned to look like Gmail tab

Abner Li | Oct 9 2020 - 5:43 pm PT

The future of Google’s enterprise communication services is tight integration with Gmail. That said, there will always be a need for the standalone Meet app, which Google is now redesigning to look like the recently added Gmail tab.

Update 10/9: The Gmail-inspired Google Meet redesign is now available for Android. As of today, it’s widely rolled out to “Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education, Enterprise for Education, and Nonprofits customers as well as users with personal Google Accounts.”

We’re updating the user interface (UI) of the Google Meet mobile apps for Android and iOS. The new mobile UI will have the same look and feel as that of the meeting experience in the Gmail app.

Original 9/11: Google Meet today opens immediately to your front-facing camera feed. A bottom sheet has buttons for “New meeting” and “Meeting code,” while sliding up lets you see video calls scheduled in Calendar.

This Google Meet redesign drops the live preview for an immediate “My meetings” list. Like in Gmail, there are buttons for “New meeting” — with three options: Get meeting joining info to share with others, Start a Meet call instantly, or Schedule a new meeting in Google Calendar — and “Join a meeting” above. Your profile image is in the top-right corner, while this design retains a navigation drawer.

Immediately jumping to a camera view was always a bit jarring, and this helps unify the experience. It’s also easier for Google to maintain one design. Some businesses might not use Gmail, but still want to leverage Google Meet for video conferences. For those users, a standalone application is necessary.

This revamp is rolling out on iOS right now (version 45+), and Android will follow up. The redesigned Google Meet will be available for all G Suite and personal accounts.