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I am implementing a search bar on a mobile device (smartphone) in which I start with only a search icon button, but when the user presses it a text field becomes notice-able next to this icon and a keyboard pop-ups. This way I hope that there is some extra attention on the search icon and lets the user explore what it does.

My question is about this search icon, most UI's have their search field at the top of the screen, which also leaves space for recommendations of possible related searches beneath. However most mobile users are right handed and it's a lot easier to press the lower end of the screen than it is the top. So it makes sense to put a button like this at the bottom of the screen, like can be seen in the material design with a button in the corner right.

This however has problems of its own, you could have two search buttons, at the bottom and top and separate the search icon from the search field which separates these coherent tools in the layout. I find this somewhat problematic.

Is there any better solution to this? I need to have a search bar with suggestions that's extremely quick to use not like I see it in smartphones today with the search bar at the top. The main functionality is searching of the application.

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You stress the importance of not having the search button at the top, but what if the bar and results still appeared from top-down upon pressing the button?

Something like so:

enter image description here

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    I am afraid that this option, while viable, would result in the user missing that the main feature of the screen is in searching. Other content is displayed on this page as well and the search button might get a little bit lost in the information that the user sees. I will think about it though..
    – Joop
    Jun 19 '15 at 13:31
  • Could you include a screenshot or mockup of the interface with your question? I am happy to edit my mockup to reflect your needs.
    – Alan
    Jun 19 '15 at 13:32
  • Thank you for your willingness to do that. Right now I feel uncomfortable with the drawings I have because they are not very accurate yet since the main thing I am trying to get right, right now is the search-capabilities since that is central to this application. Maybe in a few days I will be able to.
    – Joop
    Jun 19 '15 at 13:55
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    I understand. I'll await your edit!
    – Alan
    Jun 19 '15 at 13:56
  • Could you hypothetically change the return button to a search button? That eliminates the need for an additional key all together. When searching the user won't need to use the return key because there cannot be multiple lines.
    – Paul Witry
    Jun 26 '15 at 4:30

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