Pixel 4's Compact, Self-Adjusting Google Assistant UI Arrives on Older Pixel Phones: Reports

Pixel 4 came with a host of new features, but the upgraded Google Assistant with a new UI and on-device processing was among the key highlights. The new avatar of Google Assistant on Pixel 4 also introduced a visual tweak with a more compact UI that changes its size contextually based on the query and the result, rather than occupying the whole screen. Google has now reportedly begun testing the Pixel 4's compact and self-adjusting Google Assistant UI on older Pixel smartphones as well, but there appear to be no major functional changes.

9to5Google reports that some Pixel 3 users are now seeing a slightly redesigned Google Assistant UI on their phone, which akin to the app on the Pixel 4, has a smaller window when the virtual assistant is summoned. And when a query is entered, the size of the Google Assistant window increases just enough to accommodate the response. In contrast, the Google Assistant on older Pixels or any other Android phone instantly occupies the whole screen as soon as it presents the response to a query, which can prove to be obtrusive sometimes.

The redesigned Google Assistant UI reportedly occupies only one-third of the screen to answer a simple query. In case of music playback, it takes up half of the screen, while a query about weather forecast takes up two-thirds of the screen real estate. Another minor design tweak is that there is a persistent profile icon at the right corner of the Google Assistant window, irrespective of the amount of screen space it requires.

Some users report that they're seeing the smaller, self-adjusting Google Assistant UI on their Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL after updating the Google app to its latest build. In some cases, the tweaked Google Assistant UI appeared for a small interval and then reverted back to its older appearance. We tried updating the Google app on the older Pixels but couldn't see the overhauled Google Assistant window. It appears that Google is testing it on a limited number of devices, and is yet to officially confirm its arrival on older phones.