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| Image: Blue Corona |
Google search engine has been an integral part of the web crawling trillions of sites each day, however, this might not be the update you were expecting but believe me, when I tell you there’s an update, there’s one indeed.
Introduced last year at Google I/O, Android Slices allows a “slice” as it is called to run some third-party app like Bluetooth and Wi-fi to appear in places like Google Search. Reports have it that a server-side update for Pixel models running on Android 9 Pie is allowing users to enable certain settings by just typing the name in the Google Search bar.
An update Indeed?
Slices give Android users the ability to quickly enable and disable settings without having to actually go into the settings menu. Other examples that Google has promoted for Slices include the Brightness Level on a phone (complete with slider), although that has yet to show up.
This feature has been available on Google for some time now though only supporting some default options like mere calculation but the update adds much-needed vibe and spice to the importance of Google search to our life.
For example, if you go to Google Search and type in Bluetooth, you get to see a settings gear icon followed by a live Bluetooth toggle switch option among your search suggestions from where you can either toggle Bluetooth on/off without visiting the settings app on your phone.
**Another reason why Android is just better?
In addition to the Bluetooth option, you also get this feature available for Wi-Fi (typed as wi-fi). Once again, the settings icon can be seen along with a live toggle switch that will allow you to quickly enable or disable Wi-Fi on your phone. The name of the network that your handset is connected to also appears.
Prior to the update, the settings icon was without the toggle switch, just some bunch of type the settings and get referred to your phone settings app. The feature will work with phones running Android builds as old as 4.4 KitKat, though has been successfully carried out on Android 9 Pie only for now.
Con-Clusion
With third-party apps, users could type in Lyft in the Google Search bar and see live options that would allow them to quickly schedule a ride without opening the Lyft app or make complex calculations at the go.
Maybe, a day will come when we might no longer need many stock apps like camera, video player, phone explorer and flashlight apps on our smartphones, just query Google for a keyword and get it done immediately.
What do make of Google new update to Android Slices? What next would like to see added to the already huge list of supported third-party apps? Drop it in the comment section and don’t forget to share the post to peers.