Google Plus App User Interface Update

Bea Halstead - May 25, 2012

As Google Plus continues to gain popularity as a social network they have been investing a substantial amount of time into the user interface.  In a recent article about Google Plus, we reviewed the design changes for the desktop version of the social network.  This week, the Google Plus mobile app got a visual refresh and more desktop features are now available.   Here is a list of the improvements to expect when you update the app, and a visual comparison of the old user interface to the new.

• Visual refresh of the stream and improved navigation (see comparison chart)

• Initiate a Hangout from the main menu (Android only)

• Support for Hash tags in the stream

• Improved Third Party Sharing

• Support for ringing hangout notification (Android only)

• Support for post editing

• Messenger suggestions for people you may know

• Download photos from posts or Messenger conversations

A visual comparison of the changes to the Google Plus iphone App user interface boasts a very sleek new navigation-landing page.  The Google Plus stream highlights the posters’ profile image, making the author more recognizable while scrolling the feed.  It is also easier to access the user’s profile information or company page information, with a single click on the profile header on the post.  The new post view minimizes the text and link content in posts and highlights dynamic content like images and videos.  Currently there are only a small percentage of user’s who interact in Google Plus via the Mobbile App, but perhaps this cleaner, more dynamic, enhanced view will attract and encourage more participation.

What are your thoughts about the new user experience?  What other features from the desktop version of Google Plus would you like to see added to the Mobile App?