Google's New iOS App 'Cameos' Lets Celebrities Respond to Popular Questions in Search Results

[MacRumors]

Google this week debuted a new app called "Cameos," which lets celebrities record video answers to "the most asked questions on Google," and then post the recordings directly to Google's search results (via TechCrunch). The company says that this will let users "get answers directly" from the source when searching for facts and trivia about certain people in the spotlight.

Although anyone can download the app [Direct Link], Cameos requires access to be granted once it's downloaded. Celebrities who gain access can browse the Internet's "top questions" asked about them, choose which ones they want to answer, and record a video of their response.

Cameos will push celebrities with new questions and searches to ensure that their Google-related content "stays recent and timely." With the app, high-profile users can respond directly to their fans' biggest questions and leave out any potential misinformation provided from other websites sourced from a Google search.

Once a question is answered, Google says that the response videos get posted "right to Google" so that users can see the videos when they search for the celebrity, or similar questions about the person. The videos will also appear on each celebrity's feed in the main Google app.

Article Link: Google's New iOS App 'Cameos' Lets Celebrities Respond to Popular Questions in Search Results

 

[macduke]

If I were a celebrity I would have some "fun" with this.

 

[Bornee35]

If I were a celebrity I would have some "fun" with this.

you're a celebrity to me macduke

 

[barkomatic]

Interesting. I can see this potentially competing with Twitter for celebs.

 

[TimmeyCook]

I'm speechless!

Google managed to make me to further dislike the company in a way that I never imagined.

 

[roland.g]

Google will now be deciding who is and who is not a celebrity and helping further feed and enable the sycophant addiction in pop culture.

Is the CEO of a corporation a celebrity. This will get messy.

 

[Secondempire]

What a time to be alive!

 

[adamjackson]

I really hate that this is a product that will really take off if beautiful people use it. I don't search things on my phone so I'm going to be pissed if I get one of these as a result on my mac and it's some auto-playing vertical video on top of meaningful search results but since I don't give a **** about celebrities, I'll likely never see one of the videos unless one of them dishes out Mac OS bugs I'm experiencing or when the local hobby store closes.

 

[bbeagle]

How is a 'celebrity' defined? Anyone who downloads the app that has anyone write a question about them?

Or is it Google's decision to only have certain Hollywood stars be celebrities on a case-by-case basis?

 

[keysofanxiety]

How is a 'celebrity' defined? Anyone who downloads the app that has anyone write a question about them?

Or is it Google's decision to only have certain Hollywood stars be celebrities on a case-by-case basis?

You’ve gotta stop overthinking this stuff Porthos.

 

[MyMacintosh]

It will start off with A-list celebrities, then A-D, then CEOs, then instagram celebrities/“models” etc which at that point it’s useless.

 

[chucker23n1]

which lets celebrities record video answers to "the most asked questions on Google," and then post the recordings directly to Google's search results

Still trying to compete with Twitter I see.

 

[Porco]

‘Does celebrity x lie to google?’

 

[WarHeadz]

Does “cash me ousside” girl get access?

 

[pcorrado]

What a time to be alive!

Just wait until Apple adds even more emoji.

 

[Braderunner]

Google, please don't let YouTube "influencers" be in the celebrity category.
Also...People of Earth, can we please start ignoring these "influencers"?

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

You’ve gotta stop overthinking this stuff Porthos.

Was that just an Star Trek Enterprise reference? Or is the name of the dog in that show a reference to something else that just went clear over my head?

...

On the topic of this article, I don't like it. It's going to be a waste of internet bandwidth. I use DDG in part because of how lightweight and quick it is compared to Google. As bloated and slow as Google already is, this will only make it more bloated and slow.

Also, sounds like a new attempt by Google to enter the social network area.

 

[billybobfred]

Who cares... I would have though Google would be doing something useful with their time and resources.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Was that just an Star Trek Enterprise reference?

Yes. Just marry me right now.

 

[flyinmac]

Now celebs can respond to all the search questions seeking sex pictures and videos.

 

[macduke]

you're a celebrity to me macduke

Hah. Am I a MacRumors celebrity? How exciting. I once used to write at 9to5Mac for a little while after starting my own Apple blog after getting advice from arn who owns this site. Wasn't able to keep up with it as I was nearing the end of college. I was also the cofounder of a student run television network when I was in high school (Comcast Channel 15 in Kansas City).

Now that my wife and I are done with moving and having babies I have considered starting a YouTube channel. It would be centered around doing tech reviews for photography, display tech, home automation, Apple products, and video games as well as talking about the philosophical implications of new technology and how it might impact our society. I'm interested in exploring the ways that technology can make meaningful improvements in people's lives and pointing out when technology adds unnecessary burden and should be avoided. I want to get into the details of why something is good design vs. bad design as I have a BFA in design and love it.

As of noon today the studio office construction that I've been working on in my basement for the past several months is finished and I would be able to move forward with doing this if I want to. I have a camera that can record 4K HDR and a nice Audio Technica microphone and I know how to edit video and cleanup audio so it's just a matter of me setting aside the time to do it. Do you guys think this is something I should pursue? I just worry about becoming lost in a sea of voices trying to start a new YouTube channel in 2018, but perhaps the community here could help support me getting off the ground with views and word of mouth?

 

[Lesser Evets]

Will two-girls-and-a-cup be doing this, or how about StarWars Kid?

 

[TheWatchfulOne]

Hah. Am I a MacRumors celebrity? How exciting. I once used to write at 9to5Mac for a little while after starting my own Apple blog after getting advice from arn who owns this site. Wasn't able to keep up with it as I was nearing the end of college. I was also the cofounder of a student run television network when I was in high school (Comcast Channel 15 in Kansas City).

Now that my wife and I are done with moving and having babies I have considered starting a YouTube channel. It would be centered around doing tech reviews for photography, display tech, home automation, Apple products, and video games as well as talking about the philosophical implications of new technology and how it might impact our society. I'm interested in exploring the ways that technology can make meaningful improvements in people's lives and pointing out when technology adds unnecessary burden and should be avoided. I want to get into the details of why something is good design vs. bad design as I have a BFA in design and love it.

As of noon today the studio office construction that I've been working on in my basement for the past several months is finished and I would be able to move forward with doing this if I want to. I have a camera that can record 4K HDR and a nice Audio Technica microphone and I know how to edit video and cleanup audio so it's just a matter of me setting aside the time to do it. Do you guys think this is something I should pursue? I just worry about becoming lost in a sea of voices trying to start a new YouTube channel in 2018, but perhaps the community here could help support me getting off the ground with views and word of mouth?

If it's something that interests you, you should give it a shot. Especially since you've already invested the time and energy to build a studio. Be sure to put a link to your channel in your signature.

 

[code-m]

How is a 'celebrity' defined? Anyone who downloads the app that has anyone write a question about them?

Or is it Google's decision to only have certain Hollywood stars be celebrities on a case-by-case basis?

I presume if a question is asked in mass from a particular individual then that individual has the option to answer the question and post it on this service. I believe it will be interesting as it will curb misinformation in general relating to these individuals. Is there a tendency for misinformation coming from these individuals, possibly no better than Twitter or any other social media service.

Google is having fun, most of society live life like plastic bags. MR forum members would think that its all work and no play, what happened to “Think Different” one of the original mottos of Apple. I presume most MR members here use some Apple device. Had Apple introduce this, this forum would be ablaze of Cook being a genius or I forgot what is Car Karaoke (oh great Google is copying Apple again)

This is similar to Jimmy Kimmel with his celebrity tweets.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

4chan gaming this to push ridiculous "popular" questions in 3, 2, 1...