Was very excited about this but turns out I can only use DuckDuckGo app, not DuckDuckGo in Firefox. I’m afraid this feature won’t really be usable for me since I rely on FF add-ons and synchronization.
I’d consider using the Pixel launcher if I could disable the search bar entirely. I prefer to have the room for icons and widgets.
Yes, that is the only thing making me use a 3rd party launcher.
I use Vivaldi with their search widget. It’s been a game changer for me because I can use my self hosted searxng instance as my default search engine with auto complete from duck duck go. Can also use other search shortcuts to switch to other engines quickly.
I was also excited about this. When I first opened my phone after the update and went to the settings to choose a search provider, it had all these options listed, like at least 5? So I pick DDG just to test it, because that’s what I use everywhere else. So it picks that, but then removes all other options except DDG (enabled) and Google. WTF? Where are my other options that were just there? How do I bring them back, or add more? Do I have to install apps that register themselves as search providers? I’d really just like to search using Firefox if I can.
If you install one of the supported apps (e.g. Ecosia) it appears as an option in the menu. I didn’t find a way to use FF yet.
I figured that’s what I had to do, but why were there tons of options before that I didn’t have installed, and then once I picked one, it removed them? How can I find a list of supported search providers? Like, I want to explore my options.
I don’t have any answers unfortunately. It looks like the implementation is just half-assed because making it good isn’t actually in Google’s interest.
Being in the UK we miss out on all the benefits of the DMA but the Lawnchair project dropped an update a couple of weeks ago. It lets you change search providers and seems pretty stable and good enough for daily use.
But the gesture support is bad with custom launchers.
