Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Google Revamps Mobile Search

By

Google has taken the wraps off a new version of its mobile search application, with an eye towards presenting information and search results catering specifically to the needs of mobile phone users—which are often quite different from users performing the same searches from a PC.

“We realize that when you’re on the go, you usually just want an answer to your query, rather than everything and the kitchen sink,” wrote Google product manager Yael Shacham in the official Google Blog. As a result, the new Google search application for mobile phone users works to provide succinct, relevant data on a search query—and offer that information with as few clicks as possible—rather than offering traditional relevancy-weighted Web search results which might be more appropriate for PC-based users.

Recommended Videos

New features in Google’s mobile search include a customizable home page, which enables users to list location-based weather information and movie listings alongside stock quotes, news feeds, and Web site updates. The home page information can be customized, modified, or replaced anytime. Also new to Google’s mobile search: the application remembers recent search locations so it can more easily display relevant search results without requiring users to re-enter their location every time. (Sadly, Google’s search application does not integrate with GPS-enabled mobile phones: although this might be a boon to privacy advocates, it does mean users need to enter new postal codes from time to time as they move to new places in order to have their search results tailored to them.) Google’s new search offering also defaults to mobile versions of Web-based services where they’re available, so (for instance) searching for the BBC or the U.S. Post Office will take users to versions of those Web sites designed for mobile phones.

Related

The new version of Google mobile search is available to anyone via a Web-enabled mobile phone (or even an ordinary Web browser!).

Editors' Recommendations

Geoff Duncan
Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
A new Google Pixel Tablet is coming, but it’s not what you think
Google Pixel Tablet on its charging dock.

It's been almost a year since the Google Pixel Tablet went up for preorder, leading many Android tablet fans to wonder when the inevitable Pixel Tablet 2 will arrive. A new rumor suggests that Google could release a new Pixel Tablet as early as next month, but it's probably not what you were expecting or hoping for.

According to @MysteryLupin on X (formerly Twitter), Google is planning to "relaunch" the Pixel Tablet without the charging/speaker dock included in the box. As you'll likely recall, the speaker dock is the Pixel Tablet's standout feature. You can use the Pixel Tablet on its own as a traditional Android tablet when you want, and when you're done, you throw it on the dock to transform it into a smart display. The idea of Google selling the Pixel Tablet without its claim to fame is an interesting one.

Read more
You can pick up the Google Pixel 7 Pro for only $500 today
The Pixel 7 Pro with its display turned on, showing the home screen.

 

If you've been holding out on buying a new phone for a while because prices are still expensive, then you may want to consider going for one of the older flagship phones. For example, while the Pixel 8 Pro is out, the Pixel 7 Pro is still a powerful and viable alternative, and even better, it has quite a few great deals on it. In fact, you can buy a brand new and sealed Pixel 7 Pro from Woot for just $500, rather than the usual $1,100, and that's for the 512GB version of the phone, so you get a lot of storage with it as well.

Read more
The most common Google Pixel 8 problems and how to fix them
The home screen on the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

While the Google Pixel 8 isn't quite as popular as its iPhone and Galaxy rivals, it's still a great choice for fans of the Android operating system. Along with an intuitive OS, it offers an impressive camera suite and plenty of nifty AI tools to help you with your daily tasks. Our Google Pixel 8 review found it to go toe-to-toe with the expensive Pixel 8 Pro despite its lower price tag, awarding it 4.5 stars and naming it a "Recommended Product."

Read more