Chrome Version: 68.0.3440.118 (Official Build) (64-bit)
OS: CrOS

What steps will reproduce the problem?
(1) Set Google as the default search engine
(2) Open new tab page
(3) Click somewhere in the document body to unfocus the omnibox
(4) Click on the "fakebox" (the searchbox under the Google logo)

What is the expected result?
Fakebox receives visible focus. Nothing happens to the omnibox.

What happens instead?
Omnibox background color changes from gray to white.

My guess as to what is happening:
The fakebox behavior is implemented using the concept of an invisible focus. The fakebox (as the name suggests) is not a real searchbox at all and clicking it actually focuses the omnibox but we (a) draw a fake cursor in the fakebox and (b) hide the real cursor in the omnibox. With the new Chrome UI, the omnibox focus status also affects the background color as well so that needs to be taken into account for the purposes of fake focus.