The Google homepage has historically been known for providing a clean interface that primarily offers a Search field. Google Search is now testing a row of widgets on desktop web for an experience that’s similar to Discover.
These cards appear at the very bottom of google.com. There’s a “Hide content” toggle in the bottom-right corner, while Google notes your zip code/city and explains that the information offered is “Based on your past activity.” When the window is fully expanded, six cards are offered and they all expand on hover:
- Weather: Condition (with) icon + temperature. Three-day forecast on hover
- Trending: Cover image with search count
- What to Watch: Shows and movies with cover art
- Stocks/markets: Day graph on hover
- Local Events: With date
- COVID News
Tapping opens the full web result with the usual Knowledge Panel card and/or related Google Search experience. The number of cards that appear depends on the size of your screen with no way to scroll and see more without physically expanding the window.
We’re only seeing this rolled out on two Google Accounts, albeit across several signed-in devices, today. As such, this is very likely a test to determine whether a full rollout is warranted.
9to5Google’s Take
This very much results in a Google Discover-like experience, but without subjecting people to another feed to scroll through. The company, back in 2018, was adamant that Discover was not coming to the desktop web – just mobile.
What Google Search is testing today is quite like widgets and provides more utility to a very popular web destination without cluttering the clean experience. Weather is of course the most useful addition, while this is a better approach than the increasingly busy Chrome New Tab page. It also harkens back to the days of the iGoogle dashboard.
More on Google Search:
- Google Search easter egg joins the fun of playing Wordle
- Search is testing a new UI with some slick animations [Video]
- Google updates ‘Top stories’ with new grid design, organization on desktop web
Author: Abner Li
Source: 9TO5Google
