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Google Search for iOS Updated With Smarter Conversations, Google Now Improvements

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,537
30,847



googlesearch.png
Google today updated its Google Search app to version 4.0.0, adding new voice question capabilities that let users have smarter conversations with Google.

For example, after initiating a casual conversation with an "Ok Google" command, users can ask simple questions like "What's the weather like?" followed by "What about this weekend?" Google Search is able to interpret that the questions are linked together, providing weather information for each query.

The app's Google Now functionality will also inform users of interesting articles on preferred topics, give information about upcoming trips, and share information on favorite blogs and authors.

Finally, the app has also been updated with cricket sports cards in Google Now, faster loading of both Google Search and Google Now, and more fluid image results.
With today's update, you can ask questions with your voice & get updates on topics you care about.

Have a smarter conversation with Google:
- Tap the microphone or say "Ok Google" to start
- Ask questions such as "What's the weather like?"
- Then follow up with "How about this weekend?"

At Google, we know the web well. With Google Now, we'll tell you when there's an interesting article for:
- Your favorite topics
- Your upcoming trips
- Your favorite authors and blogs

Smaller updates include:
- Cricket sports cards in Google Now
- Faster loading of Google Search and Google Now
- More beautiful and fluid image results
Click to expand...
Google Search can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Google Search for iOS Updated With Smarter Conversations, Google Now Improvements
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/05/13/google-search-google-now-improvements/
G

Greenstein

macrumors member
Jun 21, 2010
96
15
Hmmm....I see the app out there, and I see the release notes in the store, but it doesn't show that it needs to be updated.
 
G

genovelle

macrumors 68020
May 8, 2008
2,102
2,677
MacRumors said:
[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


Google today updated its Google Search app to version 4.0.0, adding new voice question capabilities that let users have smarter conversations with Google.

For example, after initiating a casual conversation with an "Ok Google" command, users can ask simple questions like "What's the weather like?" followed by "What about this weekend?" Google Search is able to interpret that the questions are linked together, providing weather information for each query.

/url]
Click to expand...
I find it interesting that Macrumors will quickly note Google new features without mentioning if Apple already had them and they are playing catch up. If the shoe was on the other foot it would be in the title of the article.

For the record, the example given I just tried it on Siri and the results are has they have been since the first update. Siri understands the context of follow up questions.

Even the Sports angle has been a powerful feature in Siri for some time now.

I almost missed the creepy part. Google "knows the web well". How do you think they know your favorite topic, or when you are going on vacation? They track what everyone is doing and scan your gmail accounts. And they call Apple fans sheep. Comical!!!
 
Last edited:
John.B

John.B

macrumors 601
Jan 15, 2008
4,193
705
Holocene Epoch
genovelle said:
I find it interesting that Macrumors will quickly note Google new features without mentioning if Apple already had them and they are playing catch up. If the shoe was on the other foot it would be in the title of the article.
Click to expand...

It's all about the page views. The more controversy, the more ad impressions.
 
J

jeffe

macrumors 6502a
Feb 17, 2008
601
50
genovelle said:
I find it interesting that Macrumors will quickly note Google new features without mentioning if Apple already had them and they are playing catch up. If the shoe was on the other foot it would be in the title of the article.

For the record, the example given I just tried it on Siri and the results are has they have been since the first update. Siri understands the context of follow up questions.

Even the Sports angle has been a powerful feature in Siri for some time now.
Click to expand...

The article is about Google Now on iOS not Siri. Having said that Google now on iOS seems to be much less capable than its android counterpart at the moment.
 
J

JLishere

macrumors newbie
Jul 24, 2013
3
0
street.cory said:
I know the Google Search app uses voice recognition to do search queries and not literally have conversations.
Click to expand...

What he means is that Siri is, by design, an assistant with a personality. It tells jokes, it's programmed to deliver scripted/sarcastic answers. Google Search is, by design, neutral.
 
smizzle

smizzle

macrumors regular
Sep 15, 2010
161
132
Pittsburgh, PA
I wish they would add the "OK Google" command to their Chrome app. Their voice commands work great but I never understood the point of having a dedicated search app and a browser app. If they added the auto listening and Google Now cards to Chrome I would use it even more that I already do.
 
Parasprite

Parasprite

macrumors 68000
Mar 5, 2013
1,698
144
It's surely much faster than Siri, but I don't know about speech recognition. It's a search engine. It uses Google's search correction. That means that if you say anything that's not very commonly searched, it'll have a hard time understanding you, or at least that's what happens when I test it. It's not like Siri, which is meant to deal with your system tasks.
Click to expand...

This goes for Siri as well. I doubt either will produce a good answer if I tell them to "give me the symptoms of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia". Chances are they will both end up plugging it into google anyways.

Edit: Siri seems to prefer Bing.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
B

bozzykid

macrumors 68020
Aug 11, 2009
2,431
492
genovelle said:
Even the Sports angle has been a powerful feature in Siri for some time now.
Click to expand...

It has been a part of Google Now since the beginning as well. The difference being you don't have to ask Google Now your favorite sports team's score (unless you want) because it knows your favorite teams and shows you cards for their current games.
 
T

thebeans

macrumors 6502a
Feb 9, 2009
587
755
The main difference I see is that on Android devices you can just start taking to it. On iOS you have to launch the app first. Big difference.
 
C

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,390
19,458
thebeans said:
The main difference I see is that on Android devices you can just start taking to it. On iOS you have to launch the app first. Big difference.
Click to expand...
All or even most Android devices just listen to you all the time?
 
T

thebeans

macrumors 6502a
Feb 9, 2009
587
755
Not Sure

C DM said:
All/most of them do? I'm not really sure that's the case. Is there something that shows that?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure. I don't have an Android phone. On my iPhone, if Google is open, I can speak and it will respond with whatever is appropriate. On friends' Android phones, they can just say, "Ok Google Now" and the phone will respond, even if it is "asleep". I am not sure if the app has to be running first in the background or not. It probably does. But on my iPhone, it only works if the app is open and the phone is "awake"
 
C

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,390
19,458
thebeans said:
I'm not sure. I don't have an Android phone. On my iPhone, if Google is open, I can speak and it will respond with whatever is appropriate. On friends' Android phones, they can just say, "Ok Google Now" and the phone will respond, even if it is "asleep". I am not sure if the app has to be running first in the background or not. It probably does. But on my iPhone, it only works if the app is open and the phone is "awake"
Click to expand...
Right some Android phones offer that but I believe it's only a few.
 
ios8updates

ios8updates

macrumors newbie
Jun 1, 2014
14
0
Installed it today! I really don't notice any difference. And, as usual, I think it's better than Siri!
 
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