Google Calendar is evolving to meet the needs of users who juggle multiple calendars across different aspects of their lives. The latest development shows Google's commitment to streamlining the user experience for calendar management, particularly focusing on the event creation process.
The Current Calendar Selection Process
The existing Google Calendar interface requires users to navigate through multiple steps when creating events for different calendars. When adding a new event, the app defaults to the Events calendar of the active account. To choose a different calendar, users must tap through to an expanded view that displays all available calendars across their connected accounts. This process, while functional, adds extra steps to what could be a more streamlined experience.
The New Carousel Interface
Google is testing a significant UI improvement in version 2025.01.1-713312946-release of Calendar for Android. The new interface introduces a horizontal carousel of calendars directly on the event creation screen. This design change eliminates the need to navigate through additional menus, allowing users to quickly switch between different calendars with a simple tap. The carousel displays all calendars associated with the currently selected Google account in a visually accessible row.
- App Version: Google Calendar 2025.01.1-713312946-release
- Platform: Android
- Feature Status: In development, not widely rolled out
- UI Change: Horizontal carousel for calendar selection
- Impact: Reduces steps needed for calendar selection during event creation
Multi-Account Management
While the new carousel interface simplifies calendar selection within a single account, users with multiple Google accounts will still need to switch between accounts manually. However, once an account is selected, all its associated calendars become immediately visible in the carousel view, making it particularly efficient for users who frequently schedule events across different calendars within the same account.
Implementation Status
The feature is currently in development and has been discovered through an APK teardown of the latest Calendar update. While the code for this UI improvement exists in the current version, it's not yet widely available to users. This suggests Google is likely still fine-tuning the interface before a broader rollout.
Practical Benefits
This UI refinement will be especially beneficial for users planning multiple events, such as during trip organization or when managing various aspects of work and personal life. The ability to quickly switch between calendars without leaving the event creation screen could significantly reduce the time spent on calendar management tasks.