Google Search is the core service around which many other ones from the company are built. All Android users can set up a Search widget powered by the Google app. Recent reports suggest that the company is working on adding customizable shortcuts to the current Google Search widget to make it even more functional.
Currently, the Google Search widget has a couple of fixed shortcuts. People can tap on them to trigger Voice Search and Google Lens. Tapping on any other section of the widget will open the Google app. That said, there’s a lot of unused space in the widget and it seems that Google has taken notice. As spotted by Android Authority, the company is testing a customizable third shortcut.
Google would add a customizable third shortcut to the Search widget
According to the report, Google is conducting the test among some users of the latest Google app beta. The attached screenshots show that the customizable shortcut on the Google Search widget appears in the form of a “plus” (+) icon. Once you tap it, you can directly access the “Customize” page of the widget. There you will see the color and transparency options that have been available recently. However, you’ll also see a new “Choose a shortcut” section.
From there, you can set up a third shortcut that will appear alongside the classic Voice Search and Google Lens ones. There are five shortcuts you can choose from: Translate (text), Song Search, Weather, Translate (camera), and Finance. You can also select “None” if you don’t want to have an additional shortcut. You cannot remove or change the Voice Search and Google Lens ones, as Google views them as essential components of the Search experience.
That said, it looks like there’s still some work to be done before the change is implemented. As it stands, the widget doesn’t save your selection for the additional shortcut. Hopefully, shortcut customization for the Google Search Widget will arrive before the end of the year.
2024-09-10 15:07:29