Google Search App for iOS Update Brings Smart Voice Search, and More

Google on Tuesday updated its Search app for iOS to version 4.0.0, adding several new features and bringing enhanced functionality.

The updated Google Search app (already available on the App Store) adds voice capabilities that let users have 'smarter conversation[s] with Google', similar to Siri. Now users can ask questions by either tapping the microphone icon or can even initiate a query by saying "OK, Google".

Google has also added support for conversational (or natural language) search queries. The search even responds to consecutive queries. So, a query like 'What's the weather like?', will provide users weather information of the same day, and for a follow up question 'How about this weekend?' will show extended results for weekend.

The updated Google Search app for iOS (v4.0.0)also brings several other minor features, such as cricket sports cards in Google Now, faster loading of both Google Search and Google Now, as well as revamped image results that are more 'beautiful and fluid'. Google Now will also provide users information about interesting articles on a favourite topic, upcoming trips, apart from favourite blogs and authors.

Earlier, the search giant had updated its Google Search app for Android with numerous new features. Features like a new location-based shopping reminder card shows a recently searched-for product and its price to user with a list of nearby stores where it can be purchased. The feature sets a reminder in form of a Google Now card. These cards can be accessed even if there is no active Internet connection. It shows the last state of the cards when connectivity was available.