The procedure described here (https://www.reddit.com/r/nexus6/comments/3xo66d/remove_googl...) works just fine on a stock nexus 6.

That works on my Moto G, but not on my Nexus 7 – the Nexus 7 is stuck on Android 5.1, and there’s no way to remove it.

If I use root to remove the Google app forcefully, I get a black box with the text "widget failed to load".

EDIT: Within of 10 minutes the comments go from +2 to -3? Seriously? Leave a comment instead of downvoting, please.

Replace your launcher with another one... Not sure what installing the Cortana app will actually do/allow as side effects beyond that, as an alternative... I actually prefer the Google toolbar.

Okay, I know dang will warn me for that, but I’m getting a little angry now.

You're the 10TH PERSON THIS WEEK telling me this, and NO, IT DOES NOT WORK, CAN NOT WORK, WILL NOT EVER WORK.

The search bar IN THE RECENTS MENU is provided by the SystemUI.apk and can NOT be changed without modifying the base os.

You are talking about the search bar ON THE HOME SCREEN, which, yes, CAN be modified by replacing the launcher.

But NO, the search bar in the RECENT APPS SCREEN, which is SEPERATE FROM THE LAUNCHER, can NOT be modified by replacing the Launcher.

Here, THIS http://core0.staticworld.net/images/article/2014/11/android-... http://img.wonderhowto.com/img/03/61/63551918823389/0/quick-... is the one I am talking about.

It can NOT be modified at all on Android L. You can remove all Google apps with root, install the fucking ADW Launcher, but no, it does NOT change that search bar.

I’ve tried to explain it before, too. Please listen to what I say and don’t suggest the same stuff everyone else has suggested before again when I already explained why it will NOT work.

I do find it ironic that you're getting so worked up about how a device that's actually from Google with Google's spin on Android has Google baked in. Since your Moto device doesn't do that, and since Nexus devices are specifically designed to let you install any ROM of your choosing (e.g. this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKKBbRHwIVQ seems to let one remove the search bar), I fail to see the problem here.