Are Google Now searches getting smarter?
It’s no news that if you use the Google Now app on your smartphone you can find content inside a news app. But in order for Google to be able to display that result it also had to have a webpage equivalent. Not any more.
Currently “OK Google” searches display only few types of content, such as photos or data inside the phone’s stock applications, Google Web searches and Gmail messages. But now outside developers can get in on the action by supporting the feature in their apps. With this, people will be able to search for things like flights or hotels in, say, Skyscanner or TripAdvisor from any screen, without having to open the apps themselves.
Here’s how it works: Speak or type in your question, Google parses the query, then hands the search directly over to the app chosen by the user (if it has been updated to support the feature). When the search results appear, they’ll include “deep links” that take people to relevant places or pages in the app.
The feature requires Android Jelly Bean 4.1 or later and the Google search app v3.5 or later. In addition, all third-party apps must be set to English. The tecnology is already available for testing by developers.
The voice action is currently limited to phones and tablets. But Google have said they are looking to extend it to other form factors in the coming months, probably reffering to PC and Android Wear Smartwatches.
Here is the link to Google’s app Indexing coding guideliness, in case you are interested in implementing that technology into an app of your own:
https://developers.google.com/app-indexing/android/app
What do you think of Google’s new mobile search technology, do share your opinion in the comments and share the article with friends that might like it.
