Google Wallet tests floating bar redesign with Home button

What the redesign changes

Google Wallet appears to be preparing a new look for the floating bar at the bottom of its app. According to Android Authority, a teardown of version 26.45.1018 of the app revealed a redesigned bar that adds a dedicated Home button alongside the existing Search and new pass options.

In the current design, the bottom bar carries a View more/search option and a Plus button for adding a new pass. In the version uncovered in the teardown, the bar looks thicker, the View more option is shown as an icon next to Home, and the Plus button sits separately.

The main benefit is navigation. With the revamp, users could switch directly between the Home and Search tabs without going back and opening each one individually.

A new transition animation

The redesigned bar also brings a new transition effect. Android Authority describes a bubbly animation that plays when switching between the Home and Search tabs.

The publication reports that the feature worked smoothly during its testing of the under-development code. That suggests the change is fairly advanced, although there is no guarantee it will reach all users.

When it might arrive

This reporting is based on work-in-progress code found inside the app, so the features may not ship at all. Android Authority had to manually enable the visual tweak, which makes it difficult to say when or whether it will roll out widely.

Given how smoothly the redesign ran during testing, the publication hopes it is not far from a broad release. Readers should treat the timing as unconfirmed until Google announces anything officially.

Passports come to Austria

In separate Google Wallet news, users in Austria can now add their passports to the app. Android Authority notes this follows the recent addition of Italy and Ireland to the list of supported countries.

Only a handful of countries support digital passports in Google Wallet at the moment. The steady addition of new regions is still welcome for users elsewhere who hope the feature reaches them.

Why it matters

The floating bar is the part of Google Wallet most users touch every time they open the app, so changes to it affect daily use. A Home button would cut out steps when moving between the main screen and search.

For now, the redesign remains a test hidden in app code. Users who want the passport feature can check whether their country is supported, with Austria the latest addition.