Google steps up mobile search

Web giant improves search on-the-go to offer faster, more relevant results

Google has launched new mobile search technology designed to enable a faster, more powerful service for users accessing the internet on the go. The web giant claims it will offer more relevant, location-specific search results.

A spokesman for Google said that there are two major changes to its mobile web search. "With the old search, you had to chose if you wanted the information from the whole web, an image, or news article etc, but now the service automatically chooses the most relevant pieces of information from all its sources.”

The service can also improve local search enquiries, by remembering users' recent search locations, so that they don't have to retype their location for every search.

“Say you type in a location, then the next day you type in a weather search – you will then receive all the relevant weather news from the location searched for the day before," said Google's spokesman. "The information is tailored to the user’s location.”

Tony Cripps, senior analyst from Ovum welcomed this feature, as it “makes the phone more personal to you”.

Google said that the new service is much faster than previous versions and can benefit mobile business users by making it easier to access information on the move.
The firm added that as the market for a mobile search expands in the UK, it could bring extra commercial opportunities for firms to advertise on sponsored links. However, Cripps argued that there has been no proof that advertising through the mobile has had any benefits to a business so far.

“This is not the first effort we have seen to improve the web service on the mobile phone; there is ongoing development to increase the greatness of the service,” said Cripps.