Google's latest iOS app update makes incognito searches sneakier than ever

By Christian de Looper Published September 27, 2016

Ken Wolter /123rf

Google is updating the Google app for iOS to make it a little easier for you to search the web privately. The company has not only updated the app to an include an incognito mode, but it is also taking steps toward making those searches more secure.

For example, the company is letting you lock up private searches with Touch ID, essentially meaning that if someone else gets their mitts on your phone, they will not be able to access the private, incognito tabs you opened.

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The change will make using incognito tabs a lot more convenient. Currently, Google does not close incognito tabs when you leave the app, so by requiring users have their fingerprint read by Touch ID, Google is removing one of the only drawbacks of incognito tabs — the possibility that friends can easily open up your phone and see what you have been doing.

It is important to keep in mind that there are a few limitations to incognito mode — your internet service provider, and possibly your employer if you are using the internet at work, can still see what you are searching. If you are searching for things through the Google search engine, Google will be able to see what you search too, so keep that in mind.

Along with these new features, Google also updated the app to allow for YouTube videos to be watches in Search. All you have to do is search for a video and it will show up, then you can hit the play button.

Last but not least, Google tweaked the code of the app to make it less likely to crash — a nice change for those that use the Google iOS app a lot.

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Christian de Looper

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Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…

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