Is this the next major version of the Google+ Android app?

Screenshots of a purported unreleased build of the Google+ Android app have been shared to our community, but are they real or fake?

If the screenshots are in fact genuine, users have a lot to look forward to in the near future. Here's why:

A fresh new look

The most obvious change in this 'in development' build is the removal of the grey we've come to love (or hate) on the navbar. The greyish colour is still in use in the stream, but red seems to be the major new theme here, which makes sense as it blends in with the Google+ logo quite well. The trend started by Google Keep with the use of solid colours and flat design is continuing, that's if the images are to be believed.

Personally, I think the red colouring does feel a little too much, especially when used as shading when pulling out the menu or sharing a post.

As you can see in the screenshots above, the menu has been tweaked to display feedback and help menu items, making the design consistent with recently updated Google apps such as the Google Play Store. That's where consistency ends though, as the new circular red share button is a UI element not currently seen elsewhere.

Other changes to note include a possible removal of the ugly black bar at the bottom where you can choose what type of post to share. There isn't any indicators in these screenshots of how you'd share a post in this version though.

Improved Locations features

Again, if these screenshots are to be believed, improvements to Locations are on the way. A new circular red button with a location icon can be seen in the above screenshot, but as to what it does is mostly up in the air. +Yoel Kaseb, the original sharer of the images states that the button is used when checking in to a location and sharing that check-in to your circles. Yoel made no further comment about other changes in this supposed unreleased build of Google+.

A translation of the original post has been pasted below for your convenience:

"Reporting a future update ... Google I / O?
Last week I got the new course Apk Google+, still very unstable and I could use it to capture from my Nexus July 2012 these images.
My apologies that I can not share the apk and have banned me.

From "location" may be made current location register and share our circles.

The box to type a new entry from a tablet can move our comfort accompanied by a button to share it also can sit depending on our tastes.

A violent orange accompany us throughout the interface

The three points at the top are the settings and there are options for smaller publications such as in Google Kiosk

.........................................
Remember that these are screenshots of an unstable application and perhaps unfinished record changes before leaving to Play Google. If suspicious of screenshots you can see the data in the accompanying image here within Google+."

Whether this proves to be real or the result of a quick Photoshop session is yet to be discovered, but what we do know is that a major release of the Google+ Android app should be around the corner (or announced at Google I/O 2014) as it has been many months since any significant new features and changes have been made to the app.

So what do you think? Real or fake? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.