Just the oldest Google app screenshots on the Play Store

App store screenshots for preinstalled applications exist in a liminal space. If something is already on your phone, just open and try the software to get a feel for it. At the same time, people might be hesitant to use something they didn’t actively choose/download.

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Some Google apps do a good job of updating their screenshots on the Play Store. Others less so, and inadvertently serve as a trip down memory lane.

I’ll start with YouTube Music. These screenshots are from the 2018 relaunch of the service. 3-button navigation was still a thing back then, while using the Pixel 2 (instead of something more modern like the 2 XL) was certainly a choice. That said, it reveals a consistency to YTM in terms of core navigation, layouts, and priorities. (An update should be coming soon since the iOS captures have been refreshed.)

Speaking of navigation, there’s the 2-button layout in the Google Voice screenshots. Besides a Pixel 5, we see the pre-Material You redesign.

Meanwhile, Google Messages doesn’t reflect this year’s text box redesign or the 2023 homescreen.

For a trip further down memory lane, check out Carrier Services:

Similarly, check out Phone by Google’s — just change the name to “Google Phone” since that’s what people call it — Material Theme-era bottom bar and the old call screen that some people miss/prefer over the current simplified sheet.

While the other Google Workspace apps have modern screenshots, Google Drive does not. There’s also an appearance by a version of Gboard that integrated Google Search.

The Google Maps screenshots are looking pretty dated, while we’re waiting for two big redesigns across the bottom bar and a sheet-based layout. Then there’s the Nexus 10…

The Android Auto listing still shows the phone screen experience, RIP. Shout out to Google Allo, Hangouts, and Play Music:

Speech Recognition & Synthesis is quite dated (from Android 6.0 Marshmallow):

In terms of apps that do a good job, I’ve noticed that Google Contacts updates even small changes to the app, like the navigation drawer removal and Organize tab.

Pixel Recorder is another app that refreshes screenshots with notable changes.