The latest version of the Chrome Dev app on Android comes with a widget which looks to speed up the process of searching through Google Chrome. In some respects, this is just another search widget for your home screen, although it is one which is slightly different to the rest. Firstly, and unlike the usual Google Search widgets, this one does not come with just the Google logo and the microphone icon. Instead, this widget includes the phrase “search with Google” which does make it clear what the main purpose of this widget is. Likewise, while the other Search widgets allow the user to type a search phase before opening Chrome and displaying the results, once tapped, this one immediately opens a Google Chrome browser tab.
Which in some respects makes it quite similar to the Chrome app icon. However, the difference is that the Search widget opens up Chrome with the search input field already highlighted and ready for use with the keyboard open. In other words, it seems Google is looking at this as a very rapid way to search for content within Chrome, as it is faster than launching the Chrome app, and then clicking on the search input field. For those who already use the already-available Google app search widget, this one works in a very similar way, as that widget also opens up the app first, as well as highlighting the search input field and launching the keyboard. With the difference being that widget opens up the Google app, this one opens Chrome.
As this is a Chrome Dev feature, the understanding will be that it will eventually make its way through to the standard Chrome app. Which is possible and maybe even likely. Although Google has been testing a number of refinements to the display and functionality of its Search widgets – for both the standard Search widget and the Pixel Search widget, so there is always the possibility that it will not stick around in the long-term. In either case, those interested in giving this version a try, the feature is live in the latest version of the Chrome Dev Android app. So you will just need to download the Chrome Dev app, open the app, agree to Chrome’s T&Cs for the feature to work properly, head to the widget settings, and find the 4×1 search widget listed under Chrome Dev.