Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
Beta testers of the Google app are starting to notice a new feature where a permanent search bar appears at the bottom of the screen when accessing any website. This feature is currently only available to beta testers, but you can sign up to become one and see if it shows up for you. If you frequently use the Google app, you may soon have easier access to the search bar as Google is working on keeping it at the bottom of the app.
Users running the beta version of the Google app are starting to see this feature, where a “Ask anything” bar along with microphone and Google Lens functions appear at the bottom of the screen when accessing a website within the Google app. Tapping on this bar will redirect you to the main search page where you can view previous search entries or perform a new search.
Although this feature is only available to beta testers, not all users with the beta version are seeing it. Some devices, like a Pixel 8a, Pixel 7, and Moto Razr 2023 did not display the feature, whereas 9to5Google was able to see it on both smartphones and tablets.
The main concern with this new feature is that the permanent search bar may be too intrusive as it covers a portion of the website’s content. However, it does make the search function more accessible. If you are interested in testing this feature, you can sign up to become a Google app beta tester and wait for the app to update.
Remember, being a beta tester means you may encounter bugs and other software issues since it is an experimental version of the application. If you prefer to wait for a stable release, we recommend holding off on becoming a beta tester. If you decide to join, you can sign up by following these steps:
1. Launch Chrome.
2. Go to this sign-up page to become a Google app tester.
3. Tap on “Become a Tester.”
4. Wait for the Google app to update, which may take some time. Restarting your phone may trigger the update.
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