Google has updated its logo for a more modern-looking and flat design, with subdued colors and slight tweaks to the lettering. Last week, Ars Technica spotted the new logo but after reporting on it, sources told The Verge that it was just an alternative for when the traditional logo might not display well, such as printer banners or different corporate use cases.

It turns out the updated design was destined to replace Google’s iconic page after all, since the new logo as well as an updated Google apps navigation has shown up for a number of users. Instead of the black navigational bar at the top of the screen displaying things like Gmail, Google+ or Google Maps, now there’s an app-drawer style icon on the top right that contains all the usual Google apps.

The design unifies Google’s homepage look with many of the company’s recent updates, and the new flat logo joins the rest of the industry in an apparent quest to rid the virtual world of gloss.

[via Ars Technica, The Verge]