Gmail for desktop tests subtle customization of its icons in a handful of dots, replacing the old-fashioned icons with exterior contrasts. It’s a small customization and it’s not yet available to everyone, but it’s finally give the Gmail web version the icons that the Android app has been using for years.
Scroll to see the difference
The change only affects icons for things like the sidebar navigation and the actions listed at the top of email. The change replaces the older infused gray icons with slightly darker framed versions, although the overall look remains about the same and equally ‘Googly’.
This change in iconography is not only consistent with what Gmail’s Android app has had for years, as the major nu-material redesign is also consistent with the changes Google has introduced to Android and other apps over the past few years. If you are a Google, these outline icons are the future, and are likely to replace all filled icons in all of the company’s applications and services.
It seems the change has not hit everyone yet. It may even be part of a limited test – literally billion people are using Gmail, and Google will be very forthcoming with any changes to it. If it succeeds, you should expect the change to take place more widely.
