Google Search results page gets more 'breathing room'

If you find the search results on Google appear cleaner with a simpler design, it is because folks at Google have pumped some breathing space into it. In an official statement, Jon Wiley, lead designer, Google Search, shares that it has been working on creating a consistent experience across varying devices and screen sizes that are in use today. “We started with tablets last year, got it to mobile phones a few weeks ago, and are now rolling out to the desktop,” Wiley shares further in the post. 

The appearance has been refreshed to focus more on answers that users are looking for, be it from web results or from a feature such as the Knowledge Graph. Users can find all the tools they are used to, right where they last saw them, and they can use ‘Search tools’ to filter their results. As of now, though the changes will reflect for Google users in the US, Google plans to take it to more regions and in more languages. 

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October was particularly filled with activity for Google. The  Google Search app for Android received an update last month. In its changelog, Google declared that the app has become faster for Jelly Bean users.

Google Search results page gets more ‘breathing room’

With the update, Google Now works with Gmail (English only). Users can view flight information, restaurant reservations, hotel confirmations, events, and packages. The update has also introduced new Now cards catering to nearby attractions and photo spots, movies opening in theatres, and concerts. With updated voice actions, users can launch apps, schedule meetings, and check their appointment. The updated app grants control over Google Now settings. Users can adjust or turn off individual Now cards within Settings at all.

Google Search Android update was followed closely with the update for iOS devices. It recently released the Search app with voice search for iOS devices. As per an announcement on the Google blog, the search giant states that if you have a question, finding the answer should be effortless with whatever device you are using. The new Google Search app for iPhone and iPad has an enhanced voice search that answers any question with comprehensive Google search results.

Google claims that the new app offers fast and accurate voice recognition technology. The announcement states, “Getting an answer is as simple as tapping on the microphone icon and asking a question like, “Is United Airlines flight 318 on time?” Your words appear as you speak, you get your answer immediately and—if it’s short and quick, like the status and departure time of your flight—Google tells you the answer aloud.”

You can get answers to an increasingly wide variety of questions thanks to Knowledge Graph, which gives Google’s search technology an understanding of people, places and things in the real world. A few examples cites by Google are:

• “What does Yankee Stadium look like?” Google will show you hundreds of pictures instantly.
• “Play me a trailer of the upcoming James Bond movie.” The trailer starts playing immediately right within Google Search.
• “When does daylight savings time end?” The answer will appear above the search results, so you can set your clock without having to click on a link.
• “Who’s in the cast of The Office?” See a complete cast list and find out who made you crack up last night.