When Google announced its new communication apps Allo and Duo at I/O 2016, it said that they were coming this summer. With June 21 nearly upon us, the countdown until the quarter of the release is starting in most of our heads. And right on queue, Google seems to be getting ready too. Since the app listings are available on the Play Store, but only under pre-order, all we can keep an eye on is the description, screenshots, and app icons.

The latter have changed for both apps from when you first saw them. When Allo was demo'ed at I/O, it had a red icon with white letters (as seen here), but once it made it onto the Play Store, it switched to a light grey background with red letters (see here). Now it's completely switching tones to a white on blue color scheme.

Old Allo icon (left) and new one (right)

As for Duo, it's a bit of a mystery really trying to figure out when the icon changed. When the app was announced and released on the Play Store (see here and here), it had a white on blue theme that's identical to Allo's new look. However, WayBack Machine is adamant about it always being the inverse color, even from May 19. Regardless of when exactly it changed, it's now blue text on a light grey background.

Old Duo icon (left) and new one (right)

Whether this is just Google having fun with Photoshop or a thoughtful change for both apps that will stick around, we don't know. I sure find the new icons more in sync with each other. However, the difference in font sizes between Allo and Duo is annoying the living OCD out of me (check the topmost image).

Google Meet Developer: Google LLC
Price: Free
4.6
Download

Thanks: johny hongkong, ryan