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Is the AI remix feature still available in the new Google Messages update?
Google Messages Refines AI Integration: A Shift Away from ‘Nano Banana’ Branding
Google is altering how it presents AI features within its messaging ecosystem. The tech giant is reducing the visual prominence of “Nano Banana” in the latest Google Messages beta. This update replaces the previously aggressive branding with a subtle, integrated control scheme.
Visual Refinement Over Promotion
In previous versions, the image remix feature utilized a bright yellow banana icon. This icon demanded user attention in chat threads and previews. The latest beta update (version 20251212_00_RC01) removes this distraction.
The interface now displays a standard, restrained editing icon. This design choice prioritizes the user’s content over the tool’s branding. The remix functionality remains fully intact across chats, previews, and the media picker, but it no longer competes visually with your images.
Strategic Interface Placement
The most significant workflow change occurs within the full-screen image viewer.
- Old Layout: The remix button sat prominently alongside primary navigation controls.
- New Layout: The control has moved to the bottom-left corner, adjacent to the comment button.
This new positioning requires deliberate user intent. You must now choose to engage the AI tool, rather than facing it as a default, primary action. The icon matches the simplified aesthetic found in the chat preview, maintaining UI consistency.
Impact on User Experience
This shift signals a maturity in Google’s design philosophy regarding AI. By minimizing the “Nano Banana” branding, Google Messages now treats the remix feature as a standard utility rather than a novelty.
- For General Users: The app feels less cluttered. Browsing through long conversation threads becomes a cleaner experience without repetitive branding interruptions.
- For Power Users: The tool remains accessible via a single tap, despite its reduced visibility.
Availability and Rollout
This user interface update is currently exclusive to the beta channel. Users on the stable version of Google Messages will continue to see the original, prominent Nano Banana branding. Google has not yet confirmed a specific timeline for a wider release, though such UI tweaks typically migrate to the stable build after a testing period.