Google is testing a new layout for its search app for Android smartphones, making it much easier to use the handset with one hand. As smartphone screens grow larger, many app developers have started moving user interface elements – including tabs, search bars and menu buttons – to the bottom of the screen. As part of a new test, Google has reportedly moved the search bar to the bottom of the screen for some users of the app.
Spotted by TheSpAndroid, the new test that brings the search bar on Android to the bottom of the screen was introduced on version 14.48.26.29.arm64 of the app. The company could move the search bar, which is usually higher on the screen, down. Screenshots shared by the publication show a much larger search bar that sits above the home, search, and saved icons.
The new location of the search bar on Android is expected to make using the Google search app on Android phones much easier: you can launch a search bar with your thumb and then tap or swipe on the keyboard, without using your other hand. The change could come in handy for users with large smartphone screens.
It is worth noting that the test is only available to some users who have updated to the latest beta version of the app. The latest stable version of the app currently available is 14.47.36. Gadgets 360 was unable to access the new layout after updating to the latest beta version via the Play Store, suggesting the redesign is only available to some beta testers.
Google has not yet made an announcement about improving the accessibility of the search bar in its Android app, and it’s too early to say whether the change will roll out to all users, be made optional, or set as the default. The company previously rolled back a design change that brought the search bar on Android to the bottom allowed beta testers on iOS to move it to the bottom in August.