Google experimenting with Discover Feed on desktop homepage in India
What's the story
Google is currently experimenting with adding a Discover Feed to its desktop homepage for a select group of users in India, as spotted by MSPowerUser. The screenshot shared by the publication showcases a feed that includes recommended content like news headlines, weather updates, sports scores, and stock information along with the traditional search box. The feature is currently under testing, and it could be added in the coming months.
Details
Discover Feed was first introduced for smartphones
Initially launched for Google Search on mobile devices in 2018, the Discover Feed curates content related to users' interests based on their web and app activities. It appears below the search box in Google's mobile apps and on the left-most pane of the Home screens on some Android devices. Now, this same feed is being tested below the search box on desktop versions of Search.
Scenario
Google doesn't offer customization options at the moment
Google's main rival, Bing, already offers a Discover-like news feed on its desktop homepage. However, unlike Google, Bing lets users customize their homepage and decide whether or not to enable the news feed. It's worth noting that Google isn't currently providing any options for users to disable this new Discover Feed feature. That said, Google may soon allow web publishers to feature their content on the Discover Feed.
Insights
The new feature might clutter the interface on the web
Google's desktop homepage has remained mostly unchanged for several years, earning praise for its simplicity and speed. The addition of a Discover Feed might not be welcomed by all users, as it could potentially clutter the clean interface. As this is still an experiment, it remains to be seen how widely it will be rolled out and whether user customization options will be introduced in the future.