[HOWTO] Disable the ever present Google search bar in Ice Cream Sandwich

If you are one of the lucky few to own a Galaxy Nexus or just a running a beta build of ICS on your device I am certain you are loving it. Even if your beta build has issues, it is still awesome. One thing that you may already hate or love is the constant Google search box that follows you from screen to screen. It is extremely handy and very convenient. On the other hand, if you don’t use it all that often, like myself, then it is more of an annoyance that just takes up space and is always in the way.

XDA member oscillik found a quick trick to get around it and make it disappear. Simply head into Settings > Apps> All> Google Search and hit Disable. There is a consequence for this action though. If you disable it you won’t be able to use the Google search app either. Which might leave those of you that use it often in a pickle. I have also read that after you have disabled it, tat it then goes missing from the apps sections and you can’t turn it back on. So the choice is really yours.

I am sure at some point in time there will be a mod that keeps the app working but allows you add a widget back to use if you desire. It won’t bother me either way since that is the first widget I always took off my screen when I flashed a new ROM.

Source: XDA