Google appears to be testing a new look for the voice search interface built into the Google homescreen widget found on most Android phones. And the redesigned layout could make Google’s growing pile of AI search tools much easier to access.
One mic button, four features
Currently, the mic button on Google’s homescreen search widget serves a singular purpose. It lets you run a Google search with your voice. According to 9to5Google, Google is testing a redesigned layout in the latest Google app beta release that adds a swipeable toolbar to the voice search interface, which lets you easily switch between regular Search, AI Mode, Search Live, and Song Search.
This new layout resembles Google Lens’ Search, Translate, Live, and Create switcher, and it’ll reportedly remember whichever mode you used last and default to it the next time you tap the mic button. Along with the toolbar, Google is testing a new four-bar waveform with live transcription for the regular Search interface, while the AI Mode tab includes an arrow button to complete your query and a stop button that redirects you to a Search box with a transcript, where you can make further edits.
Not widely available yet
As mentioned earlier, this redesigned interface is currently limited to the latest Google app beta release and is not available to all users on the beta build either. Google has not said when, or if, it will reach all users.
Once it does arrive, the toolbar would not only make it easier for existing users to switch between Google’s AI search tools but also help more users discover them. Provided the redesign clears testing, the mic button on your home screen might become the fastest way to everything Google’s AI search lineup has to offer.