Google Tasks explores floating action button

 Google Tasks is exploring to replace its bottom bar with floating action button for Android redesign 

Google appears to be shaking things up in its productivity apps. Following a similar test in Google Keep, the tech giant is now experimenting with a new interface for Google Tasks on Android. The core of this change is a floating action button (FAB) designed to streamline task creation. Following are the some of the important points:-

Google Tasks' latest update hides a redesigned UI, removing the bottom bar.

Material Design dynamic theming added to the new UI, aligning with Google's design language.

Redundancy of bottom bar buttons is eliminated, focusing on cohesive design.

Google sometimes seems like a frenzied manic operation hastily building utility after utility without much thought given to UI design or overlapping features, but the same company also gave us gems like the Material Design language introduced with Android 12. Its own apps are fine examples with ever-evolving UIs, and Google Tasks also comes to mind. The latest development in that app ditches the bottom bar to explore some other options around.

Google recently migrated all Calendar reminders to Tasks, so unsurprisingly, the app might have found several new users, figuring out how to navigate an unfamiliar UI. The current design uses a bottom bar with buttons to select the list you want to edit, another to choose how tasks are sorted in the list, and a third overflow menu to delete tasks/lists or rename them. The floating action button (FAB) on the right helps add new tasks to the selected list. In the header, you can swipe through all your lists. This update was spotted in a pre-release version of the Google Tasks app (2024.06.24.645928003.0) after activating a hidden feature flag. It replaces the existing bottom bar with a more minimalist FAB. Tapping the "+" icon on the FAB mirrors the current functionality of creating a new task.

The redundancy of the bottom bar buttons is immediately apparent because you can easily perform all those actions in the lists directly. Reports available suggests that the UI could change soon because a recent beta has a few changes tucked away, out of sight. Version 2024.06.24.645928003.0 of Tasks eliminates buttons from the bottom bar, leaving just the FAB behind. Eliminating duplicate options might be a good idea. Other features which were previously housed in the bottom bar have been strategically relocated within the app's layout. For example, the option to sort tasks now conveniently resides next to the task list itself, tucked into the right corner of the screen.

While the new design eliminates the duplicity of several list management options, the overflow menu and sorting options have moved up to the line with the list title. Eagle-eyed readers might also notice the new design currently under wraps also uses Material Design dynamic theming to colorize the header bar, which is white in the current beta and stable versions for Tasks. The FAB's presence contributes to a less cluttered visual experience, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the app. This aligns with the current design trends in mobile apps, where simplicity and ease of use are paramount. While this redesign appears to be primarily a visual enhancement, it's worth noting that such changes often go hand-in-hand with improving user experience. By consolidating key functions and DE cluttering the interface, Google may be aiming to make task management more intuitive and efficient for its users.

It's important to remember that this is still an experimental feature, thus Google has not officially announced a timeline for rolling out the new FAB to all users. It's possible that the company is still gathering feedback and making adjustments before a wider release. Although reminders from Keep are also moving to Tasks, Google recently tried a similar experiment with its note-taking app which has similar small icons in a bottom bar with a massive FAB on the opposite end of the screen. Seeing a similar course of actions in Tasks suggests the brand is finally trying to minimize unnecessary repetition of options and focus on a cohesive design across apps. For Google Tasks users eager to see this change in action, keep an eye on future app updates. If the FAB proves successful in testing, it could become a standard feature for all the users.