This is not the Google Search app but rather a search app bundled with Firefox. You can tell: it uses Firefox design language and iconography and is called "Firefox Search"; the Google Search app looks nothing like this. Because of the open intent-based nature of Android, apps can hook into the swipe up gesture. If you also have the Google Search app installed, you should've gotten a dialog to select between the two, at least the first time you activated the swipe up.
If you want to blame someone for this, blame Mozilla, but honestly, it's probably just an innocent mistake. This search app seems rather new (I just noticed it the other day, too) and probably doesn't get much usage, which I suspect is why it's not hooked into all the main app preferences yet. Jumping the gun to criticize Google here is... unfortunate.
I now understand that this app is branded as Firefox Search. However, I find it very suspicious that, at least for me, it only allows Google, even though my default search engine is DuckDuckGo. It also ignores Firefox's data clearing, as you acknowledged.
I think it was automatically enabled on my phone because I explicitly disabled the Google app (my only other search app) in my App Settings.
I updated the page to refer to it as "Firefox's Google Search app". A fair name, considering its search engine options.
Not for me. Mine only allows Google. Maybe because I'm using a custom default search engine? If so, it should just use my custom one, and should obviously give me a choice regardless.
This may also be a bug in the Firefox app: I've just observed that when I change my default search engine in Firefox, that setting isn't necessarily reflected in the search intent handler until after I force stop Firefox.
Either way, to reiterate, it's definitely Firefox you're seeing here. If you don't like the way it behaves, I recommend following the other suggestions on this thread to file a bug report with Mozilla.
this is my first time flagging a topic, i did so because the title is inaccurate - which i would not have realised without your comment. so, thank you. if the mods could rewrite the heading that would be great.
i was expecting a "don't be evil" style debate in here.
In addition to what magicalist said, here is some more information:
The Firefox Search widget is indeed installed by default but not activated by default. You can use it either by adding it to the home screen or via the “swipeup” gesture.
A problem is that it seems to have its own “Clear search history” and does not obey the one from the Firefox privacy settings.
Another problem is that you may activate it and set it as permanent default for the “swipeup” gesture by accident, and then there seems to be no way to change it to something else unless you install some other application that provides a “swipeup” action, in which case you are presented again with the interface to choose your default swipeup action.
This is a general problem in Android. An app that can help you change easily the default swipeup action is the Swipeup Utility:
You can use Swipeup Utility to set the default swipeup action to Nothing, or you can use it to clear the default of the swipeup gesture, so that you are a presented with the interface to chose a default again.
Last, the Firefox Search widget does not allow only Google Search. It is set to whatever your default search provider is in Firefox.
Mine defaults to Yahoo, which is exactly what you'd expect from the Firefox Search app. It's just a launcher intent that was registered when you installed Firefox.
According to the bottom box on that page, your search history should have been cleared from the steps you took. Sounds like a bug.
edit: you can prove this to yourself by going to Settings -> Apps -> Firefox, scrolling down to the "Launch By Default" section and clicking the "Clear Defaults" button. The next time you drag up from the bottom, your phone will ask you what you want to launch by default (assuming you still have other launchers, e.g. the Google App installed).
Thanks for spotting this! It is a known bug and has been fixed and rushed into beta testing (in Mozilla speak, this is called uplift). The fix is currently in Firefox beta and is scheduled to be released at the end of the month.
Some deeper explanation would be nice here - how did the data end up there? Is the app hooking in to Firefox to pick this information up? Or are you just signed in to your Google account on both (Google search itself in Firefox, and Google Search via your Google sign-in on the Android?)
Does anybody know what app this is? It appears to have a Firefox icon on it. My stock Nexus phone does not seem to have this app - swiping up from the home icon gives you Now.
No it does not, in fact it doesn't even work the way the author claimed. He or she mistook an activity bundled with the Firefox app for the Google Search app.
In reality that search history was never persisted outside the Firefox app.
Shouldn't be of any surprise to anyone who's willingly using the whole damn operating system from a company rooted in tracking of everyone in sight.
Edit -- The notability of the post hinges on whether the OP is running one of the stock Android versions or a custom build. Because if it's former, there could really be no expectations of privacy.
If you want to blame someone for this, blame Mozilla, but honestly, it's probably just an innocent mistake. This search app seems rather new (I just noticed it the other day, too) and probably doesn't get much usage, which I suspect is why it's not hooked into all the main app preferences yet. Jumping the gun to criticize Google here is... unfortunate.
For comparison, here's what the Google Search app looks like: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.and...