Gemini Neural Expressive UI hands-on: What I love (and hate)
Gemini Neural Expressive UI hands-on: What I love (and hate)
https://www.androidauthority.com/gemini-neural-expressive-android-app-hands-on-3668985/
Publish Date: 2026-05-22 06:04:00
Source Domain: www.androidauthority.com
Brady Snyder / Android Authority
The app is certainly more inviting, and it’s not just a visual change. Responses to Gemini prompts now weave multimedia content, including images, graphics, timelines, and videos, right into the text answers. The constant glow of the Gemini app UI fits right into the new era of Google design aesthetics, matching the new app icon redesigns and invoking the same feel as the “Glowbar” on Googlebooks.
If only the Neural Expressive design language were as functional as it is attractive. Those good looks come at the expense of utility, and in some ways, they’re a step backward.
Are you a fan of Gemini’s Neural Expressive design language?
9 votes
Yes, the colorful design is just right
56%
Yes, I love the minimalist controls
0%
No, I don’t like combined tools and attachments
11%
No, the sidebar is too crowded
22%
It’s not better or worse than the old design
11%
Something else (comments)
0%
The new Gemini app is a joy to look at
Brady Snyder / Android Authority
The Gemini app’s fresh appearance quickly made me realize how outdated and bleak the old one had become. The outgoing Gemini app had a boring white-and-gray user interface with a small greeting and a few suggestion chips. The chips weren’t the prettiest, but to their credit, they gave you a quick idea of what you could do with Gemini. The chatbot’s access to specialized models like Nano Banana, Veo, and Lyria was clearly reflected by the natural-language suggestions.
Overall, though, you could argue that the old Gemini app design was bland and overcrowded. Underneath the text field, you had buttons for attachments, tools, models, dictation, and Gemini Live. Near the top, you had the sidebar, temporary chats, and the Google account and settings page.
New
Old
Switching to the new Neural Expressive design language for the Gemini app presents a completely different experience. Colors and glow are at the forefront, with a blue-and-white gradient making up the homepage. The greeting is larger…
