Seems Google is once again testing removing the estimated number of search results under the search bar. You know, the line that says "About X results in Y seconds" Google is testing removing that again.
We reported something similar in March 2022 and before that in July 2016.
In this case, it seems to be missing when the new topics refinement bar shows up - maybe it is related?
This is what I see without the estimate count but with the new topics bar:
And now with the estimate count but without the new topics bar:
Many noticed this yesterday including Martin MacDonald and Bill Hartzer:
Hey Google: why you removed the page count on site: searches?
— Martin MacDonald - #BARBADOSSEO 🇧🇧🇪🇸 (@searchmartin) December 7, 2022
Trying to find out how many pages roughly a scraper site has stolen off a client, and this doesnt help... pic.twitter.com/7rYbWNQJyZ
Has anyone noticed that Google's not displaying the number of pages indexed when you use the site:domain .com search operator?
— Bill Hartzer (@bhartzer) December 7, 2022
Is this new @rustybrick ? pic.twitter.com/iM4KXgEI9D
Some even noticed a minimalistic design, by turning off JavaScript:
Hey @rustybrick, have you seen this retro-looking search bar and pagination UI on Google before? pic.twitter.com/l1uxD0x9kK
— Aleks SEO (@AleksAtWork) December 7, 2022
Also not seeing page counts on the SERPs with JS disabled @rustybrick @pedrodias pic.twitter.com/4HgZdm9LgG
— Martin MacDonald - #BARBADOSSEO 🇧🇧🇪🇸 (@searchmartin) December 7, 2022
Google always be testing and sometimes be bugging - I am not sure if this is a test or a bug.