The Pixel Launcher is the standard on the Pixel smartphones and is only rarely provided with new functions, the greatest momentum is around the operating system updates. With Android 12L it was time again and with a view to Android 13, the scope of the search function will be further expanded: Images from Google Photos will appear there for the first users.
Unsurprisingly, the Pixel Launcher has a search function that is mainly designed to search through the apps installed on the smartphone. With the rollout of Android 12L, this function and the display were redesigned and now the first integration is just around the corner, which should still be very practical in the future: not only the apps themselves are searched, but also their content.
One user, and only one device, has now shown Google Photos integration. Searching for “Screenshots” brought up the relevant cloud storage folder and displayed it with the most recently added images. With one touch, the image opens in the large view and with a long tap, an image can even be shared directly from this view. This could be very helpful in the future and shorten distances.
It is currently unclear whether this only works for local folders or also for images stored in the cloud. There is no official announcement yet and it should only be a test run.