We already know a lot about what Android 17 will likely offer, but another big change has just leaked: it seems Google might finally let you hide the home screen search bar on Pixel phones.
This search bar is a handy way to quickly search the web on Google without opening your browser first. However, it takes up a good amount of screen space. So, if you don’t search much, prefer a different search engine, or simply like opening your browser directly, you would understandably want this feature gone.
It’s actually surprising that it has taken Google so long to add an option for the search bar, as it seems like something that should be optional. But based on some digging by Android Authority in the Android 17 beta code, an option could be coming soon. The code mentions things like “customize search bar,” “search bar settings,” and “show search bar at the bottom of your home screen.”
These references suggest you’ll likely be able to choose whether or not to show the search bar in Android 17, though the site couldn’t enable this feature in the current beta. Still, the fact that this code exists means it might be ready in time for Android 17’s final version, and we might even see it during the next Android Show on May 12.
But while that feature might not launch for a while, Google is now rolling out a smaller update for Pixel phones. This is May’s Pixel update, and it’s coming to all models from the Google Pixel 7a and Pixel Tablet onwards.
This update doesn’t bring any new features, but it includes various bug fixes. These fixes address slow wireless charging speeds when the battery is between 75% and 80%, and an issue where the camera app would freeze when recording video and adjusting the zoom.
There are also fixes for problems that caused a flickering white dot to appear at the top of the screen, the screen to look fuzzy or frozen, and the keyboard to appear frozen or in the wrong place in some apps.
These sound like quite annoying problems that are definitely worth fixing. The update has already started rolling out to some Pixel phones, but Google notes that it will be released in phases over the next few weeks, depending on your carrier and device. So, you might not have it just yet.
