Google offers several exclusive perks to Pixel smartphone owners, with the Shazam-like Now Playing feature being one of them. As we’ve recently discovered, Google is working on ways to make Now Playing even more user-friendly, including an album art option and a dedicated Quick Settings tile. It now looks like Google has more in store for Now Playing in forthcoming Android updates.
While looking through the most recent Android Canary build, the folks over at Android Authority discovered a dedicated app icon for Now Playing, albeit inactive. The site then managed to activate the toggle, consequently making it appear in the app drawer.
However, this app icon doesn’t send you to a separate app. Instead, users are redirected to their Now Playing history, which is currently accessible in multiple ways, including from Settings > Sound & vibration > Now Playing or from Settings > Display & touch > Lock screen > Now Playing. You can even find a Now Playing history home screen widget/shortcut within the Pixel’s extensive list of app widgets.
Could this be a standalone Now Playing app?
The app info page and the app drawer icon for Now Playing (via Android Authority)
With so many options already available to take Pixel users to their Now Playing history, having the icon added to the app drawer doesn’t quite make sense. Perhaps there’s additional functionality planned for Now Playing, or Google simply wants more users to know about Now Playing. This revised version of Now Playing also sports a different icon compared to the current iteration, suggesting that an overhaul may be in store.
Current Now Playing shortcut icon
One of the screenshots published by Android Authority suggests that Now Playing might get a dedicated App info page, while it currently exists as part of the Android System Intelligence app. This, coupled with the fact that the icon appears to have been modified, suggests that Google may have some new functionality planned for Now Playing.
There are more questions than answers right now, given the limited information available about this “app.” Moreover, since it’s only made an appearance in Android Canary, the chances of us getting more answers anytime soon are slim.
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