MobileSearch
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Google will consider load times in mobile search rankings
Google is always optimizing search, but has given mobile more prominence lately, including axing its long-running Instant Search feature last July to unify searching on desktop and device. Their latest tweak, which goes into effect July 2018, aims to improve the mobile browsing experience by factoring in a page's loading speed to its search rank, promising to lower slow sites.
Bing's big mobile search update comes to Android
Last fall, Microsoft rolled out a major update to its Bing app for the iPhone. The big change was the realization that searching on a smartphone usually means you want immediate answers to questions while you're out and about, so Bing put all the data from its Knowledge and Action Graph right up front. In our testing, it felt like a superior search experience and something comparable with what Google's doing with its own mobile app. Now, Microsoft has pushed that new experience to Android phones with the new Bing app that just hit Google Play. Whether or not you'll want to switch it up from the default Google search experience remains to be seen, but it's an app that's at least worth taking a look at.
Bing for iPhone makes it easy to jump from search straight to your apps
As Windows Phone continues to struggle, Microsoft has turned its focus towards making its trademark services like Office, Outlook and Bing available on Android and iOS. Today, the Bing app for the iPhone is getting a major update to better reflect how users want to search when on their phones, something that's been an increasing priority for Google as well. Ryan Gavin, Microsoft's GM of search, says that when he thinks how about mobile search differs from the desktop, the traditional list of search results that can get you eventually to an answer to a query aren't useful. "I just want an answer," Gavin says, "and I want to take that answer into an action, typically with some sense of urgency." To that end, Bing for iPhone puts the data from Microsoft's Knowledge and Action Graph right up front, alongside deep links right into the apps on your phone that'll let you complete the desired action using the tools you're used to.
Yahoo's redesigned mobile search looks a lot like Google's
Yahoo has been pushing hard to be people's default search engine on every device. Before it can make that happen, though, the company knows its product must be improved drastically. As part of these efforts, Yahoo Search is getting an overhaul on mobile, designed to put relevant results information front and center. For example, if you're looking for sushi in Seattle, you now have the option to get directions to any restaurant, as well as read reviews and make reservations -- so long as you're in the US. It's obvious that Yahoo took a cue from Google with these features, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?
Secretaries beware: Google and HP in talks about Now for the workplace
While Apple has teamed up with IBM to get more of its wares into the workplace, it seems Google is looking to do the same with partners of its own. The Information reports that Google is in talks with HP and others to leverage its card-based Now system for enterprise use. While the negotiations began a year ago, HP has moved forward with its own "Enterprise Siri" project to boost mobile search for businesses. Integrating Now with office-friendly apps will be a chore, as the search option doesn't currently leverage data or abilities outside of Google's suite -- like Cortana and Siri do for certain applications. As you might expect, the conversations seem to be just that at this point, so there's no clear indication of a timetable for a partnership announcement or product release.
Apple may be earning up to $1 billion this year from Google search on iOS devices
Apple and Google have a...complex, but mutually beneficial relationship. In Apple's case, it's a relationship that could earn the company up to US$1 billion from a single agreement this year alone. Analyst Scott Devitt at Morgan Stanley follows Google closely and put out a new report titled "The Next Google Is Google" on Friday. The report highlights a bright future for Google, but it also surmises that the company will pay Apple almost a billion dollars this year for its position as the default search engine on iOS devices. As Business Insider notes, analysts previously believed that Google and Apple had a revenue-sharing agreement with Apple collecting 75 cents of every dollar Google made on search advertising on iOS devices. But Devitt thinks the revenue sharing agreement is something Apple wouldn't do. He believes the companies instead have a "fee per device" agreement with Google giving Apple money upfront for every iOS device sold. Devitt believes Apple would seek such an agreement because it hedges its bet against people searching on google.com on mobile Safari's web browser, in which case Apple would not earn a anything on those ads on a revenue-sharing agreement. A "fee per device" agreement would also be easier for accounting purposes. And while $1 billion (and rising at around 5 percent each year) sounds like a high cost to Google, Devitt points out that that is small change to pay for a virtual monopoly on mobile search. As the default search engine on iOS devices -- when that is combined with Android device sales -- Google controls 95 percent of default mobile search.
Google gives mobile search a makeover for quick-answer queries
If you're looking for flight times, currency conversions, word definitions and more, you'll notice that Google has dressed up the responses in new, Now card type clothing. On top of being prettier, the look is designed to make the data easier to parse and also adds an interactive element -- letting you change a distance or unit when doing metric conversions, for example. Currently the refresh is limited to smartphone and tablet searches, but Google has promised to roll it out soon to desktop searches and international users. The change is part of an ever-evolving list of tweaks and updates to Mountain View's venerable search engine -- check the source for more info.
Google announces Search by Image and Voice Search for desktop, revamped mobile search
Google's done a ton of talking about search at its Inside Search event today, and two of the biggest new developments are on the desktop. It's just announced that Android-style Voice Search is headed to Chrome (with support for English only, initially), and that it will be joined by a new Search by Image feature (also available in Chrome, or Firefox with an extension). To use that latter feature, you simply drag and drop an image or cut and paste an image URL in the search box, and then Google tries its best to recognize it and deliver relevant results -- including identifying the location in an old vacation photo, for instance (though Google notes it isn't doing face recognition). Both features will be rolling out over the next few days, but you can get a glimpse of them now in the demo videos after the break. In other news, Google's announced Instant Pages (also demoed after the break), which promises to speed up browsing by prerendering results when its "confident you're going to click them." It's available in the latest developer version of Chrome today, and will also be included in the next public beta. Lastly, Google took the wraps off a number of revisions to its mobile search offerings, including a new set of shortcut icons, enhanced search options, and faster local results when browsing on a phone, as well as some revamped search and image results that have been specifically tailored to tablets -- all of which are also rolling out today.
Google Instant on a Motorola Droid 2, hands-on
Google's new hotness is likely invading your desktop web search right now, but what's Instant search like on a smartphone? We got a good look at a Verizon-based Droid 2 running a prototype version of the auto-complete engine on both WiFi and 3G, and we're happy to say it's just about the same -- assuming you've got a decent connection and a reasonable amount of screen real estate. As you can see immediately above, you're only getting three Instant results under the search box here, as opposed to the desktop version's five, and between Android's notifications bar and the native keyboard auto-complete bar, you can only see a single result without scrolling down -- and honestly, this isn't going to be all that useful at a glance if you're relying on a screen-sucking virtual keyboard. The system was speedy enough, however, pulling down not only text queries but also Google Image thumbnails as well, and worked about as quickly as a standard mobile Google run without having to hit a button to complete our search. (The prototype did stop working and had to be restarted when we lost our 3G bars. ) A Google product manager told us it should work in any AJAX-capable mobile browser, and is presently in testing on Android and iPhone, with BlackBerry in consideration given the more-capable OS 6 browser. Expect to see it hit smartphones near you this fall.
Microsoft and Apple still in talks for Bing iPhone search option, Google is not on notice
What turned into a pretty frenzied rumor this afternoon ended up being much ado about nothing, but there is something noteworthy. As the story goes, TechCrunch reported that Microsoft was going to completely replace Google with Bing as the search engine of choice for the iPhone once OS 4 launches next month. Enter All Things Digital's Kara Swisher, who has a pretty strong track record on all things Redmond. According to her sources, what's being discussed isn't a full swap -- instead, Bing is being considered for an "option" that users can decide between. None of this is what we'd call brand new gossip, and in fact, it sounds exactly like what we heard back in January. So, discussions still seem to be ongoing four months later, which is pretty interesting. For its part, the original TC article has been amended to say the issue is "more complicated" than originally presented. Hey June 7th? You really can't get here fast enough.
iPhone OS 4: Google branding removed in Safari search
iLounge has pointed out that the "Google" branded search button in mobile Safari has been renamed "Search" in iPhone OS 4. Is this a sign that Apple is about to dump Google from mobile search? Despite their increasing competition, it's highly unlikely that Apple will entirely eliminate Google from mobile Safari search. Google is still the world's number one search engine by a wide margin; eliminating it from Safari's search function would alienate a lot of users. So what could the "Google"/"Search" switch mean? Most likely it's that iPhone OS 4 will have search engine options in addition to Google and Yahoo! (like Bing), and Apple wants to have a universal button that reads "search" no matter what engine the user chooses to use. Other possibilities could be that Apple and Google have not agreed on a financial arrangements for Google to be the default search in OS 4 yet and they want Google to know that they'll give default search to the highest bidder. Of course, there's always another possibility: Apple is launching its own search engine. Sounds like a long shot? Maybe it is, then again who would have ever thought Apple would one day be in the mobile advertising market? Personally, I wouldn't hold my breath for Apple search this year. Apple does a lot of things better that Google (and other competitors), but when it comes to search, Google is still king. [image via MacRumors]
Samsung readies Yahoo-ready Ultra Edition II handsets
Samsung's Ultra Edition II lineup is about to receive a Yahoo-approved makeover, as the firm has reportedly decided to install Yahoo! Ready on the 10.9 (SGH-U600) slider to begin with, with the Ultra Edition 9.6 and Ultra Edition 5.9 to get internally branded soon after. Essentially, users can expect "enhanced web-searching along with quick access to Yahoo Mail, Messenger, Address Book and Calendar services while on the go." Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen Yahoo widgets on a cellphone, and it seems like Samsung's lagging a bit behind Motorola's decision to pull this same stunt months ago, but if you just can't wait to get your hands on a Yahoo-stamped handset, the 10.9 should hit France before too long, while the 9.6 and 5.9 will launch in May. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]
Alltel unveils carrier-branded search agent, dedicated button
These days, it's just not good enough to offer some form of search engine on your phone, as the marketing dollars of search giants are finding their way into phones as providers attempt to dictate your searching and clicking habits. Alltel is finally joining the gang as it unveils the "world's first carrier-branded mobile search application to be pre-installed on handsets with a dedicated search key." The button will activate a BREW client that allows users to search for whatever they please without thumbing through numerous menus, theoretically getting you your answers in a hasty fashion. By partnering with JumpTap, Alltel will reportedly start rolling the "feature" out on its mobiles here in the near future, with the colorful line of AX8600s being the first to "have the search application preloaded."[Via MocoNews]
Alltel offers AskMeNow mobile answer service
If you're an Alltel Wireless customer using the nation's largest network and any of its handsets, you may be interested to know that the CDMA carrier has made AskMeNow's "intelligent mobile search" service available to customers -- for a fee, of course. AskMeNow's service lets information junkies ask just about anything so that an accurate answer can be retrieved. You know, so you can win that next television trivia game at 1:00am in that Henry Hudson's location down the way. The service is available via SMS to all Alltel subscribers with text messaging capability at a rate of $0.25 per question or $1.99 per month for unlimited questions. Also, an actual application can be downloaded if you're the proud owner of an Alltel BlackBerry, Palm and Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone -- but it'll set you back $3.99 per month that way.
New partnership gives Sprint Nextel users Windows Live Search
While it's no secret that mobile search (and subsequent advertising) is a hot ticket right now, Microsoft is lagging badly behind search giants Google and Yahoo. While all three scramble to grab partnerships with everyone from HP to Acer (to Dell), Microsoft has landed what is quite possibly its biggest foothold on the blossoming mobile search market yet. By teaming up with Sprint Nextel, customers of the carrier will be greeted by Microsoft's Windows Live search bar at the top of Sprint's menu page when they access the internet from their mobile. Per usual, the search engine can look for "news, sports scores and ringtones" within the carrier's own mobile portal, or "search outside of Sprint's network for local information" such as nearby eateries, theaters, or GameStop locations. While specifics of the deal weren't disclosed, we do know that the two firms will "split the profits" from ad revenue, and that Sprint Nextel customers should see the newfangled box hitting their mobile internet screen right now.[Via Textually]
Search By Camera! delivers product data from cellphone pics
Much like the Photo2Search project being developed by Microsoft Research Asia, a new cameraphone-based image recognition service called Search By Camera! is promising to help consumers acquire info on products by simply snapping a picture while shopping. Developed by Bandai Networks and D2 Communications, using technology from Evolution Robotics (which is also at the core of a similar service launched earlier this year, called Mobot Mobile Visual Search, as well as having been recently licensed by Robosapien manufacturer WowWee Robotics), Search By Camera! will currently only work for the handful of folks who happen to have imported a DoCoMo FOMA N902iS phone into the US. Further degrading its utility is the fact that Bandai and D2C must get permission for each and every product they want to include in their database, which has so far only come from a scant ten companies. Still, even if this particular initiative doesn't take off, it's pretty clear that image recognition will play a leading role in the future of mobile search, with many handsets already possessing the proper tools that make such a service feasible.
Microsoft's Photo2Search for cameraphone queries
In one of the most ambitious projects to date for associating real-world objects with digital information about them, a team from Microsoft Research Asia is in the final stages of developing a platform for photo-based searches. Rather straightforwardly called Photo2Search, the technology was developed against the backdrop of a growing cameraphone market, whose widespread adoption is bringing portable computing to the masses but whose limited input options continue to deliver a frustrating search experience. Project leader Xing Xie came up with the idea for a database that could be queried via texted or emailed phone pics in late 2004, but at the time both machine-based photo identification and computer-vision algorithms were too slow and rudimentary to suit their needs. Over a year of work has refined the technology to make it faster, but more importantly, relevant -- unlike older software, Xie's version is now able to discern features that allow it to match specific objects and not just those which share similar characteristics. Unfortunately there are no immediate plans for rolling out this technology to consumers (it's still not quite ready for primetime, apparently), but since most of today's phones produce photos that are little more than a pixelated mess, we're probably not quite ready either.[Via picturephoning and MocoNews]
Yahoo!, RIM partner on Blackberry content
RIM and Yahoo! have taken CTIA as occasion to formally announce their courtship, which will result in tighter integration of popular Yahoo! features such as email, IM, and search into the Blackberry operating system. Perhaps the biggest benefit to users from this partnership will be the ability to push Yahoo! email messages onto Blackberry devices, while maintaining a sync with the online mailbox, and delivering them to an interface that is already familiar. Furthermore, Messenger will receive enhanced features like emoticons, Yahoo! calendar and address book data is promised to be more accessible, and the Blackberry launcher will sport a button for opening the browser to a certain non-Google search engine. After the rollout of these initial services, Yahoo! and RIM will introduce a version of Yahoo! Go for Mobile, which will bring even more juicy search and information features to our favorite 'Berry (no offense, Chuck).
