- Google is once again testing a new search feature for its Android-based browser.
- Dubbed People also view, the feature presents users with content that other people with similar search queries clicked on.
Google is currently testing a new search feature that will hopefully make it easier for users to find exactly what they’re looking for. While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with Google’s search algorithm in its current form, there’s no denying that sifting through an endless number of search results to find pertinent information can sometimes be tedious.
In light of that, Google is tinkering with the idea of bolstering its algorithmically derived search results by adding a “People also view” card to its Android-based web browser. As the name implies, the feature presents users with links that people who typed in similar queries clicked on.
The new feature, Android Police notes, “is revealed with a swipe up from the new in-app browser’s bottom bar. It contains articles and videos related to the content you were viewing from Discover or Search.”
All in all, it’s a clever feature that can help users find what they’re looking for and expose them to additional content that will likely be of interest to them.
The feature still isn’t available to all Android users and there’s no telling if it will become widely available anytime soon. It’s worth noting Google has been experimenting with this type of feature — in some form or another — for more than three years. Presumably, the company wants to get everything just right before introducing it to its massive user base.
On a related note, a number of Android 12 features leaked online earlier this week. And in a screenshot initially revealed by xda-developers, some UI changes look a bit iOS-inspired:
One of the alleged Android 12 screenshots showcases a new notifications panel UI. The transparency is gone and replaced with an opaque light beige background, though the color likely depends on the current theme and/or whether or not Dark Mode is enabled. The separation between the “conversations” section with the rest of the notifications is still there, and the rounded corners of each notification are now more pronounced. The number of Quick Settings tiles that are shown when the notification panel is partially expanded has been reduced from 6 to 4, causing each icon to become larger. The positions of the date and clock have been swapped, while there are also new privacy indicators in the top right-hand corner.
Android 12 will likely arrive later this fall and will be preceded by a developer release sometime in the next few weeks. The first public beta will likely be revealed at Google I/O this coming spring, Presumably, Google I/O this year will yet again be a virtual conference due to the coronavirus pandemic.
