Google has just made indexing content in mobile apps using Google search possible. The Android feature that lets users stream apps to a handset straight from a search result is now being tested.
Google announced on Nov. 18 that it has started to test a feature that streams apps to Android phones from a search result. Up until now, Google can only show app search results if the app has a matching website that has been indexed in Google or it is already installed in the device.
The new feature works when a user, for instance, searches for a hotel in Chicago. Instead of just displaying search results of hotels in the area, Google will also offer the option to stream the HotelTonight app, which can be used to browse through listings and book a hotel as well.
According to The Verge, Google is looking to extend search capabilities to mobile apps, given that Google search is already an important tool for the web. The problem is that the content of an app is not readily available without a website that contains the same content.
"We want users to be able to have access to this content, regardless of whether it's available on the web or in an app," program lead Rajan Patel of Google said. Thus, Google took the initiative to make app-only content available in search results.
During this test, the feature is enabled only in nine mobile apps, including Hotel Tonight, New York Subway, Visual Anatomy Free, Chimani, Daily Horoscope, My Horoscope, Gormey, Useful Knots and Weather. These launch partners expressed interest to participate in the test when it was introduced at the developer conference Google I/O, according to Tech Crunch.
After this, Google is planning to expand the feature. This maximizes Google search experience, particularly for Android users, tech enthusiasts believe.