Google’s artificial intelligence arm has once again tweaked the user interface of its Gemini app, this time stripping away the familiar boxed prompt bar on mobile devices in a move that signals a broader push toward seamless, immersive AI interactions. The redesign, which began rolling out to Android and iOS users this week, replaces the traditional rectangular input field with a more fluid, borderless design that blends into the app’s background, according to a report from 9to5Google. This subtle shift aims to reduce visual clutter, allowing users to focus more on conversational flow rather than the mechanics of typing or voice input.

The update follows a similar overhaul on the web version of Gemini earlier this year, where Google eliminated boxy elements to create a cleaner aesthetic. On mobile, the new prompt bar now appears as a sleek, pill-shaped element that expands dynamically as users type, incorporating integrated icons for camera, voice, and other tools directly within the bar. This isn’t just cosmetic; it reflects Google’s ongoing efforts to make AI feel more natural and less like a rigid tool, drawing inspiration from competitors like Perplexity AI, which has popularized minimalist interfaces for query handling.

As Google refines its AI offerings amid intensifying competition from rivals such as OpenAI and Anthropic, this prompt bar redesign underscores a strategic pivot toward user-centric design principles that prioritize intuition over instruction. Industry observers note that by removing visual barriers, Gemini could encourage longer, more exploratory sessions, potentially boosting engagement metrics that are crucial for Google’s ad-driven ecosystem.

User feedback on social platforms has been mixed but largely positive, with many praising the streamlined look for making the app feel more modern. Posts on X, formerly Twitter, highlight how the box-less design eliminates the “clunky” feel of previous iterations, though some users lament the loss of clear boundaries that helped delineate input areas. For instance, tech enthusiasts have shared screenshots showing the prompt bar’s new animation, which subtly glows and expands, enhancing the sense of responsiveness.

This isn’t Google’s first interface iteration for Gemini; earlier in 2025, the company introduced a homepage redesign featuring categorized prompts for writing, building, and researching, as detailed in updates from Android Police. The latest change builds on that foundation, integrating a model picker more seamlessly into the bar, allowing quick switches between Gemini’s various AI models without disrupting the workflow.

Delving deeper into the technical underpinnings, the redesign leverages Google’s Material You design language, which emphasizes personalization through dynamic theming and rounded elements, aligning Gemini more closely with Android’s native aesthetics while ensuring cross-platform consistency on iOS. This could be a calculated move to unify Google’s AI branding across devices, potentially setting the stage for deeper integrations with hardware like the upcoming Pixel series.

Analysts suggest this update is part of a larger pattern of rapid iterations in the AI space, where user retention hinges on frictionless experiences. A recent post on X from Android Authority teased upcoming tweaks to the home screen, including activity-based suggestions, indicating that Google is mining user data to tailor prompts more effectively. Meanwhile, WebProNews reports that the overhaul includes bouncier animations and easier model-switching, which could appeal to power users in creative fields.

Beyond aesthetics, the redesign has implications for accessibility. By making the prompt bar less visually dominant, Google may be addressing feedback from users with visual impairments, though official confirmation is pending. Competitors like ChatGPT have similarly evolved their mobile apps, but Gemini’s integration with Google’s ecosystem—such as direct ties to Search and Workspace—gives it a unique edge.

Looking ahead, this prompt bar evolution might foreshadow more ambitious changes, such as enhanced multimodal inputs where users can seamlessly blend text, images, and voice without interface interruptions. As AI becomes ubiquitous in daily tasks, Google’s focus on subtlety could redefine how we interact with intelligent systems, blending human-like conversation with machine precision in ways that feel increasingly invisible.

In the broader context of Google’s AI strategy, this update arrives amid reports of Gemini’s Nano model gaining traction, as noted in 9to5Google‘s coverage of the “Nano Banana” phenomenon—a quirky codename for on-device AI advancements. The prompt bar’s redesign complements these efforts by optimizing for mobile performance, ensuring that even lightweight devices can handle complex queries without lag.

Industry insiders speculate that such refinements are Google’s response to user churn data, where initial excitement for AI chatbots wanes if interfaces feel outdated. With the current rollout still in its early stages—not yet universal across all accounts—the full impact on adoption rates remains to be seen, but early indicators from X suggest a warm reception among tech-savvy crowds.