Google Adds Better Search Result Browsing For iPad And Full-Screen For iPhone To Their Universal iOS App
November 22, 2011
The Google Search app has been something of a mixed gift for iDevice owners, offering only minor to no benefit when compared to accessing the company's web apps from an iOS web browser. However, it appears Google is still attempting to satisfy iPhone users by providing the option of a full-screen mode and iPad users by adding features already available through web browsers, such as Google Instant and Instant Preview, plus a few others that actually go beyond, such as a new image browser.
If you utilize Google.com with any kind of regularity, you'll be fully aware of what Google Instant and Instant Preview contribute to the efficiency of searching the Web. Google Instant is the feature which posts results as you enter keywords, including search suggestions. The Instant Preview feature is when you hover over a result with your mouse pointer and a snapshot of the page id displayed tot he right.
Google Instant functions the exact same way when using the Google Search app on an iPad as it does through a web browser, although, Instant Preview is a separate view option and not simply an addition to the standard list view. The viewing mode is toggled by tapping either of the two new icons located underneath the sign-in / account access area in the top-right. In my opinion, this seems like a great option and an even better implementation for Instant Preview than that of the web method.
Another feature to arrive for the iPad is side-by-side browsing. When you tap on a search result, a pane will slide out from the right side of the screen displaying the web page. Using a drag action, the pane can be hidden completely, closed two-thirds of the way, or reopened. Amongst previous options, you can now perform an in-app search, which defaults to your initial search keywords, by tapping the magnifying glass icon and promote the page within Google search results, Google ads, etc by tapping on the "+1" button.
Speaking of sliding panels, Google Search v1.0.0.8117 contains an enhanced search history section. Basically, the new section is Instant Preview for previous searches. To expose the search history pane, swipe left to right, then release when it tells you. Each entry shows a snapshot of the most recent page you visited when doing that search. If you visited more than one page, the search entry can be opened with a simple two finger expand gesture.
General web searching isn't the only thing to get improvements. At first glance, the image search looks to be as it was before, but tap on an image and you'll see what's so special. The selected image will be presented in full-screen with the other image results tucked around the sides in a carousel fashion. Swipe left or right to navigate and tap on the web page title and URL in the bottom-left to jump to the associated site. As a tiny bonus, the results page will be automatically scrolled in the background as you browse in the carousel.
The final new iPad feature is the Google app browser. To view and access all of Google's other services, tap on the Apps menu, the cube looking icon between the voice search and settings buttons at the top of the screen. From there, tap any one of the Google app icons to enter the web app or launch the appropriate iOS app, such as YouTube and Google Earth, if installed.
Along with some maintenance, Google did add a feature for iPhone and iPod touch users: full-screen. The same feature and operation provided by many third-party web browsers, tap on the full-screen button in the bottom-right to hide the control and status bars to make for less clutter and more content viewing area. Tap on the full-screen button again to revert tot the normal UI.
Google Search is a universal app compatible with iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch running iOS 4.0 or later, and available in the App Store as a free download.
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