Like most Android-certified smartphones, Pixel smartphones use Google as the default search engine, and this might soon change, where, Pixel users will soon be able to use any platform as the search engine of their choice, suggests a post from Nail Sadykov on X (previously Twitter).
According to the post, a version of the Pixel launcher, included in the Android 14 QPR2 Beta 3 includes a hidden option called “Search Engine,” indicating, that Google might soon allow users to change the search engine on the home page of a Pixel smartphone.
Pixel Launcher will soon allow you to choose the default web ‘Search engine’.
The app build that comes with Android 14 QPR2 Beta 3 contains a hidden search settings item called “Search Engine”. This feature will allow you to choose an app for the web search. pic.twitter.com/EbbCCd6bvX
— Наиль Садыков (@Nail_Sadykov) January 11, 2024
This option will apparently allow users to configure a third-party app as a search engine, which means, that even the search widget on the home screen might look a lot different than how it currently looks. This should allow users to replace Google with other prominent search engines like Bing, DuckDuckGo, and more.
Not just that, Google might soon allow users to replace the search engine on the Chrome web browser. As per the post by Lance Adams on X, a new settings option can be found on the flags menu, indicating that, Google might be working on allowing users to use a third-party platform like Bing as the default search engine.
We recently also reported that several OEMs are now allowing users to select the choice of their search engine while setting up a new Android smartphone. Right now, it is not unclear if this is limited to select brands or if all the brands will start offering this feature to break the monopoly in Google’s mobile search engine business.
