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Hidden code reveals plan to add search shortcuts to Pixel Launcher

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By Alan Friedman

Published: Apr 30, 2022, 1:43 PM

Hidden code reveals plan to add search shortcuts to Pixel Launcher

Strings of code discovered by 9to5Google in the Android System Intelligence app (Version S.17) reveal that Google is working to create search shortcuts for the Pixel Launcher. The shortcuts would help Pixel users search for specific content inside the Google Play Store, YouTube, Google Maps, and Settings.

For Android 12, Google added on-device search which is available when you open the Pixel Launcher. The search bar at the top of the screen says "Search your phone and more." As you type letters into the search bar, your phone looks for apps that match. For example, if you want to look for "weather," after typing the first two letters ("we"), this writer's phone displayed links to EarthCam's Webcams app, The Weather Channel (with direct links to the latter's videos, radar, and daily forecasts) and more.

If you search on-device for something that can't be found, the search bar turns white and says "Search on Google." As handy as this is-and it is handy indeed-Google is testing an enhancement of this feature. Based on the strings of code found, tapping on one of the four aforementioned shortcuts will do something similar to the search bar except instead of saying "Search on Google," the bar will prompt you to "Search on Play Store," or "Search on YouTube," or "Search on Maps," or "Search on Settings" depending on the shortcut you've chosen.

The four strings of code discovered in the Android System Intelligence app that are related to these shortcuts read:

Search on Maps>
Search on Play Store>
Search on Settings>
Search on Youtube>

While we have no clue as to when this feature might surface, we can see where this could be a useful discovery tool for Pixel users. We do need to point out that to those running Android 13 Beta 1 that the on-device search bar has (temporarily?) been dropped and replaced with the usual Google Search widget that includes a link to Lens, the icon for Voice Search, and a link to the Google app.

On-device search bar reverts to Google Search bar if there are no responses to your query

Less adventurous Pixel users running Android 12 still have the on-device search bar at the top of the Pixel Launcher.

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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.

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