Google rolls out new discovery feature for its Google Search app on iOS

By Brenda Stolyar Published September 22, 2017

Google Search — Image used with permission by copyright holder

On Tuesday, Google rolled out a new feature for its Google Search app on iOS. While on a webpage using the iOS version, users will now see suggestions related to the content they’re currently reading.

With the Google Search app, you’re already able to find answers to your questions, search what you’re interested in, and scroll through a feed of stories and updates on topics you find important. The more you use it, the more insight it’s able to gain on your favorite types of content to read, permitting greater personalization.

Recommended Videos

Its latest feature now gives users even more of an excuse to stay on the app longer. Instead of using your mobile web browser to search related topics, the Google Search app will do the work for you with suggested articles.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

When you’re on the app and have scrolled to the end of an article, swiping back up will reveal a “People also view” window. You can then swipe left to reveal more articles related to the topic you’re reading about. Otherwise, the window will be hidden from view so that you’re left to your reading.

After choosing another article from the list, you can access the link by simply tapping on it without having to leave the app. From there, the same process continues — which could possibly end in spending more time on the app than intended.

This latest feature on Google Search is clearly meant more for in-depth reading than just finding the answers to quick queries. By providing you with articles to constantly click through, it’s a tool you that’s more conducive to general — or in-depth — research.

Last month, the company released a similar feature for its mobile image search results to also increase discovery. By searching a specific item such as a cupcake in Image Search, your results include a badge icon in the bottom-left hand corner for recipes, GIFs, videos, and more.

Google isn’t the only company utilizing this kind of discovery tool for its users. This fall, eBay is set to launch its own image-based search tool that allows users to find and purchase items through eBay using pictures instead of words.

As for Google’s latest search and discover feature, it’s currently only available for use in the U.S. on iOS. The company plans to expand to more languages and locations in the future.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Brenda became obsessed with technology after receiving her first Dell computer from her grandpa in the second grade. While…

Mobile

6 excellent iPhone apps that I wish were available on Android

Four iPhone exclusive apps and associated widgets on an iPhone 16 Pro homescreen

For the past 15 years, the way we think about and use technology has been completely reshaped. What was once a hardware-first industry quickly became a software-first one, and this radical evolution of technology can be traced back to one pivotal moment. In 2009, Apple debuted the iPhone 3G and the first App Store. This launch ushered in a new era: the smartphone, complete with apps. It also debuted one of the best commercials, complete with a catchphrase that is sometimes still used today: There’s an app for that.

For many years, the iPhone had a plethora of apps that were not available on Android. While most of these are now available cross-platform, not every developer has embraced the billions of potential customers who don’t have an iPhone. Even now, some apps launch first on iOS and can take months or years to launch on Android.

Mobile

Google is preparing a cool new feature for its Pixel Recorder app

The Voice Recorder app running on the Google Pixel 7 Pro.

Smartphones are great tools for voice recording, whether it’s a simple voice memo or even an interview. If you have a Pixel phone, then the Pixel Recorder app is about to get a lot more useful with a new “Clear Voice” feature discovered in the latest update's Android Package Kit (APK).

With Clear Voice, the Pixel Recorder app will “reduce background noise while recording for clearer speech playback.” Basically, it will keep human speech while removing unwanted and distracting background noise. The feature was found via 9to5Google in some strings in version 4.2.20241001.701169069 of the Pixel Recorder app.

Mobile

Your Google Photos app is about to look different. Here’s what’s changing

The Google Photos app on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Google is implementing a small yet significant change to its popular Google Photos app. As first noted by 9to5Google, the app's "Memories" tab is being removed. Memories is an auto-organizing, scrapbook-like feature that utilizes artificial intelligence to create an AI-powered feed.

Since its release, the Memories tab has been in the bottom bar of the Google Photos app. The Memories tab is being replaced by Moments, which will reside inside the app's Collections tab. This is where you can find People & pets, Albums, Documents, and Places.