Google Rethinks Its Logo For Reading Purposes With ‘Google Sans Text’ Font

By Mikelle Leow, 23 May 2021

Video screenshot via Material Design

The Google ‘G’ is understated—and perhaps too understated in sentences and paragraphs. That’s why the tech giant has announced ‘Google Sans Text’, an extension of the Google Sans family that’s designed specifically for body text.

At the 2021 I/O keynote, the company shared that GS Text is now making its way into Google apps, though 9to5Google notes that the font made its first appearance in some of Google’s offerings last year. It’s derived from the Google Sans font used for marketing materials, which itself is a size-optimized variation of the Product Sans font for Google product logos.

In comparison with Google Sans, GS Text comes with an optical size created for smaller point sizes, making it ideal for body text. You’ll also notice the accentuation in the letters, like the tail of the ‘y’ and the leg in the ‘G,’ showcasing more character when text is downsized.

Google Sans and GS Text are also variable and can adapt flexibly to meet various needs, such as being animated in tandem with the sound of an alarm clock, while standing as individual files. It’s a welcome addition to the new Android 12, which is designed to give users near-complete creative control, down to color palettes and line widths.