GoKawiilGoogle restores Contacts tab to Phone app's bottom bar in beta test
Google is bringing the Contacts tab back to the bottom navigation bar of its Phone by Google app, reversing a change made last year that moved it into a sidebar menu. The change is currently visible only to some beta users running version 240.0.98, and it did not appear consistently across all devices tested by Android Authority.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The limited and inconsistent rollout suggests Google is testing the reversal gradually rather than pushing it out to all users at once, which is common when a company wants to gauge reaction before a wider release. The original removal of the Contacts tab was widely criticized by users, so its return signals Google may be responding to that feedback, though the company has not publicly confirmed a reason or timeline for full availability.
- The Contacts tab is reappearing in the bottom bar of the Phone by Google app, but only for some beta testers.
- The feature is tied to beta version 240.0.98 and wasn't visible on all tested devices, pointing to a staged rollout.
- Stable app users still must access contacts via a sidebar menu or a filtered chip, not a dedicated bottom-bar tab.
Source: androidauthority.com, 2026-09-29
Published there as: “Google’s Phone app begins reverting one of its most controversial changes”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.