Chrome may soon integrate with Android’s AppSearch feature

Google Chrome may soon integrate with Android’s AppSearch feature, which could let you search through your open Chrome tabs and bookmarks right from the Pixel Launcher search bar!

A new Chrome flag was recently added (H/T @LanceAdams) that’s titled “Integrate with Android App Search.” Its description reads: “If enabled, allows Chrome to integrate with the Android App Search.”

In an earlier patchset, the description for the Chrome flag read as:

“Donate the tabs and bookmarks to Android App Search.”

The feature doesn’t work yet, as it seems only the flag has been added and not the implementation as of now.

While it’s not confirmed, I think “Android App Search” refers to the AppSearch feature introduced in 2021 w/ Android 12 and described in this blog. AppSearch IIRC is what powers the Pixel Launcher’s universal search.

AppSearch was shipped as an APEX module in Android 12 on Pixel but became a Project Mainline module in Android 13. I think other OEM launchers could integrate with AppSearch and thus show Chrome tabs and bookmarks when/if this launches, but I’m not sure.

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