Google Drive Adopts Large Floating Action Button in Menu Refresh
Material Design’s Floating Action Button (FAB)
In the realm of user interface design, the Floating Action Button (FAB) serves as a prominent element that facilitates quick access to essential actions. Material Design, a design system devised by Google, offers three size options for the FAB: Small, Medium, and Large. Among these, the Medium FAB has emerged as the standard choice.
Small, Medium, and Large FABs in Action
First-party applications have increasingly adopted the Small FAB, positioned above the Medium FAB, to provide convenient access to specific functions. Google Drive and Files by Google utilize the Small FAB as a scanning shortcut, while Google Messages employs it for Gemini.
Google Drive’s FAB Evolution
Recently, Google Drive has introduced a noticeable change by adopting a Large FAB for its "New" menu, which presents options such as Folder, Upload, Scan, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Simultaneously, the camera shortcut retains its conventional Medium FAB size.
FAB Behavior on Scrolling
As users scroll through Google Drive’s interface, both the Large FAB and the Medium FAB vanish entirely. This behavior aligns with the typical design pattern where FABs shrink or disappear when scrolling down a list. However, Google Drive deviated from this convention by introducing a rectangular Extended FAB that shrinks into a rounded square upon scrolling down. The camera shortcut also disappears during scrolling.
Potential Bug in Google Drive’s FAB Implementation
The current implementation of the Large FAB in Google Drive appears to be an anomaly, as it differs from the established FAB design guidelines. This inconsistency manifests as a potential bug, resulting in a visually distracting element, particularly in the grid view.
Version and Device Dependency
The introduction of the Large FAB in Google Drive is associated with version 2.25.060.0 of the Android application. However, not all devices have been affected by this change, indicating that it may not be a widespread issue.
Conclusion
Overall, the adoption of a Large FAB in Google Drive’s "New" menu represents a departure from Material Design’s established FAB sizing conventions. While it is possible that this change may be intentional, the inconsistent behavior during scrolling suggests the presence of a bug. Further investigation is warranted to determine the intended behavior and address any potential issues related to this design modification.
