There’s something charming about Google’s ongoing Pixel changelog. Users know that getting a Pixel smartphone means getting the latest Android features first, and that happens even more frequently now thanks to quarterly Pixel Feature Drops. In a fast-paced tech world, the excitement around a new smartphone quickly wanes. But the Pixel’s three-month Feature Drop cadence keeps your smartphone fresh, updated, and more helpful. On that last point, it appears that December’s Feature Drop will bring some improvements to the Google Search bar.
For some time now, Google has made efforts to improve the Pixel Launcher’suniversal searchfeature. Recently,Android Authority spotteda flag in theAndroid 14 QPR1beta that seems to indicate Google could soon implement a new “floating search bar” in various places in its launcher. As a result, users could soon have a comfort-customized search bar almost everywhere on their phones.
The enhanced universal search feature came to market with Android 12, though more limited app search features had existed before then. This feature can be accessed by tapping the search field at the top of the Pixel Launcher’s app drawer, but now, Google appears to be experimenting with changing this bar to a floating “G” pill towards the bottom of the app drawer interface, as well as incorporating an additional search bar at the bottom of the recent apps interface.
Mishaal Rahman, who also contributes here at Android Police, discovered a flag in the first QPR1 beta with the “floating search bar” name. Upon enabling the flag, Rahman noticed that the search bar is also now closer to your thumb when typing with keyboard apps like Gboard and SwiftKey. Once this change goes live, if you need to make any adjustments to your query after you start typing, you’ll notice the search bar is now directly above the keyboard’s suggestion strip, allowing you to move the cursor without overstretching.
The search field sitting just above the keyboard UI in Rahman’s testing made it clear why Google has chosen “floating search bar” as this feature flag’s label — now, you don’t have to reach up the screen to find something in one of your apps or adjust a search. In the interest of full disclosure, the former was technically already possible if you enabled the Pixel Launcher’s “Always show keyboard” setting, which is being renamed to “Swipe up to start search” in Android 14, but this method clearly gives you more control.
Judging by Rahman’s demo video, this search experience seems to be a clear improvement over the thumb gymnastics we’ve been doing. It’s likely this feature will be exclusive to Pixel phones, or at least those with access to the Pixel Launcher, and we don’t expect it any sooner than the December Pixel Feature drop, if it even debuts then. But we certainly won’t be at a loss for Google-related news in the meantime with theOctober 4 Made By Google eventfast approaching.
