Word around town is that Google Now will no more be a luxury enjoyed by Android users only, even as rumors citing the maker’s plans to integrate this product with its web search homepage begin to pour in. A page which was being tested by the company included some source code furthermore explaining the feature.
As seen in the picture embedded below, the code introduces the service with a ‘Just the right information at just the right time’ statement. It goes on to reveal that the app will broadcast necessary details depending on users’ Home locations. People should be able to enquire about anything ranging from weather, traffic conditions and nearby places.
Additionally, the code reveals that users will be allowed to make modifications to personal information such as home, current and work locations. As of now, there isn’t a medium to decipher how the search homepage-integrated version of the software will look, but a post on the Google Operating System blog which spews unofficial news from the company, counsels us to expect something on the lines of the Chrome-based extension (last image).
For those unaware of this service, it is a tool integrated in Android’s native search engine app which answers queries, offers suggestions and performs other actions by employing the natural language user interface. Instead of just providing general details, the software scrutinizes users’ search behaviors and proffers relevant information.
Having being revealed in the month of June last year, the app used the Android Jelly Bean-driven Galaxy Nexus as its first stepping stone. However, rumors hovering around town say that it may enter the iOS realm and could pose as a competition to Apple’s intelligent personal assistant app well known as Siri.
The app’s significant highlight is the involvement of cards which showcase information pertaining to the weather, directions, scores and appointments in addition to other details. The utility currently offers 25 such cards.
According to the aforementioned post, there is quite the chance that Google Now could replace certain functionalities of the company’s iGoogle service which it plans to discontinue from November this year. We still await concrete news from the search giant regarding this development. In the meantime, take a look at the video attached below to get a clear picture of the app’s features on Android.
