The Google App is preparing to launch a bottom-mounted search bar on Android. Spotted by AssembleDebug and published on TheSpAndroid blog, Google has plans to move the search bar on the Search app to the bottom of the screen for easy accessibility, just like with a recent change to the Google Chrome app on iOS.
With the Chrome update on iOS, iPhone users can change the location of the URL address bar to the bottom of the screen. And it appears Google wants to align this change with the Search app, which works hand-in-hand with Chrome. This change adds to several other features in line for the Google App, among them Assistant with Bard, read aloud and some visual UI tweaks. This is another of those UI tweaks to expect in the near future, although for now the new search bar is still limited to the latest Google App beta version 14.48.26.29.arm64.
This change places the search bar just above the bottom navigation tabs and applies to both the main search bar and the search bar that appears in search results. Given how tall smartphones have become these days, having the search bar at the bottom should make one-handed access way easier than its current position.
As noted, the new bottom search bar is still limited to beta testers but hidden behind flags, so Google App users can expect a wider rollout in the near future, although there’s no timeframe. I hope this time Google won’t limit the feature to one platform like the case with the Chrome update that’s still limited to iOS.
Featured image: Google
Hillary Keverenge
2122 Posts
Tech has been my playground for over a decade. While the Android journey began early, it truly took flight with the revolutionary Lollipop update. Since then, it's been a parade of Android devices (with a sprinkle of iOS), culminating in a mostly happy marriage with Google's smart home ecosystem. Expect insightful articles and explorations of the ever-evolving world of Android and Google products coupled with occasional rants on the Nest smart home ecosystem.
Next article View Article
