Google India to Optimise Search Results on Slower Mobile Connections

Google on Friday announced it is rolling out a streamlined version of its Search results page in India, in an effort to address the need of mobile device users on slow wireless connections.

Making the announcement on its official India blog in a post titled 'Announcing fast access for mobile users', Google said the move was inspired by the ideal that everyone should have equal access to the information on the Internet to enrich their lives, regardless of "who they are or where they live."

The search giant said that starting Friday it will automatically check if a user has a slow wireless connection, and then deliver a faster loading compressed version of Search with elements such as images and maps kept out of the results unless deemed an essential part of them.

The blog post, by Distinguished Software Engineer - Google Bharat Mediratta, described the growing trend of Internet access via mobile devices in India, and the lack of high-speed, inexpensive wireless connectivity in the country.

"Increasingly, people in India are accessing the Internet through mobile devices such as their smartphones. However, not all of these devices come with fast, cheap connections," said Mediratta, adding, "This is just another step Google is taking to organize the world's information and make it accessible to everyone, including those who do not have fast mobile connections."

Google has certainly been treating India with special emphasis in the recent past, launching its Android One initiative in the country first, and claiming it was originally conceived with India in mind.

The Android One initiative gets Google-approved low-cost Android handsets into users' hands, with a promise for swift updates and access to Google services, apart from features like dual-SIM and microSD card expandability that make the handsets ideal for emerging markets like India.