Earlier this week, we spotted Google testing a redesigned search bar for the Google Feed on the Pixel Launcher. It appears that Google is A/B testing another design in parallel as today we’ve encountered an entirely different design.
Currently, the top of the Google Feed on the Pixel Launcher displays a search bar, shortcut to the Upcoming tab, and an overflow menu to customize settings.
This new design that we’ve spotted today on some devices very notably drops the search bar. In its place is the Google logo, like on the previous Google Now. If the Pixel Launcher is sporting the light theme, the multi-colored version of the logo is displayed. In dark mode, it switches to white text.
Update: Some have chimed in to note that they’ve had this design for a few weeks now. On our end, it just recently went live on three devices, though several of our Pixel 2 phones still sport the design that features the search bar.
The loss of quick access to the search bar is unfortunate, though the Pixel Launcher’s bottom, always present bar still remains. In fact, it was quite redundant to have so many search bars with the Google Assistant also just a long press away.
Meanwhile, the presence of the Google logo could possibly hint at the Google Feed once again displaying Google Doodles. The previous design did not allow for it, with users instead having to head into the full Google app.
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