But Now on Tap is evolving, and with the handy new additions some folks are beginning to see, it may become a bit more useful soon: Users who’ve opted to receive beta releases of the Google search app have noticed new shortcuts within Now on Tap’s interface.
Previously, pressing and holding the home button on a Now on Tap-compatible smartphone surfaced one of two screens: the aforementioned search results if Google could make sense of what was on your smartphone’s screen, or a “Nothing on Tap” error message if it couldn’t. In the latest Google app beta revision (version 6.0), though, both are joined by two rows of icons: quick actions –“New reminder,” “Create an event,” “Set an alarm,” “Start timer,” “Navigate to work,” and “Navigate home” — and a link to a Google maps search for “places nearby” — e.g., restaurants, cafes, bars, shopping, gas stations, and ATMs.
