Summary
- Google is starting to experiment with bottom-heavy UI elements to make one-handed scrolling easier for users on Android devices.
- To see if you have access to the new persistent bottom search bar, ensure you are using the latest beta version of the Google App.
- If you have the new feature, show Google your love for it to help spread its availability to more users in the future.
When it comes to Android UI, some of the greatest minds in the industry have concluded that Google doesn’t have enough bottom bar in its apps. Seriously, one-handed scrolling is impossible if vital bits of the user interface are at the top of the screen, out of reach to all but those with tiny phones or huge hands. But we have seen tantalizing signs that Google is beginning to bend to the pressure to implement bottom-heavy UI elements. Back in April, we saw tests of a bottom search bar on some phones, and last year Chrome for iOS moved its address bar to the bottom. And now it looks like Google is timidly testing a new bottom-of-the-UI feature.
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What’s new with Google
If you use the beta version of the Google App to open a website, you may have noticed that there’s now a new persistent bottom search bar available to you. According to 9to5Google, you’ll need to be using the latest beta version of the Google App (v15.24) to see these changes, but they’re not propagating out to every phone, so it looks like this is an A/B test for right now. If you are one of today’s lucky winners, you should see a search bar at the bottom of the Chrome browser when you open a page from the Google app. From the looks of the pictures, it does take up a bit of screen real estate, but not enough to impact the experience.
If you want to see if these features have been enabled for you, you’ll have to ensure that you’re opening web pages in the app and not through another browser such as Brave or Firefox.
- Open up the Google app and tap on your profile image in the top-right corner.
- Select Settings (you may have to scroll down a bit).
- Scroll down and tap Other settings.
- Make sure the toggle for Open web pages in the app is selected.
If you didn’t make the A/B cut (like me) there’s not much you can do about it. But if you do have the new persistent search bar, make sure to tell Google about how much you love it so the rest of us can get a taste of the good life you’re enjoying.
