Google Now has finally come to the iPhone and iPad. In an officlal blog post, Google announced that the popular app and service, previously only available to Android users, is now available on the iOS platform as part of an update to the Google Search app for iPhones and iPads. Users can download the update or go grab the app from iTunes if they don’t already have it [iTunes Store Link].
Never used Google Now? Here’s what you’ve been missing:
- Manage your day by having information like boarding passes, appointment and traffic coordination, weather, reservations, package shipping information, birthdays and more
- Monitor the news you’re interested in like sports, stocks, real estate, concerts, movies, breaking news and more
- Find local information like metro schedules, restaurants, events, translations, currency and more
By integrating Google Now into the Google Search app, Google provides users with a single app to coordinate almost all of their relevant and timely information, all with an easy to use voice interface (that many would say is superior to Siri).
Even more telling is the fact that Google Now is designed to provide you with the information you need, even before you ask for it, and the more you use Google Now the more efficient it will get as it learns more about you.
The fact is, according to an interview by Farhad Manjoo, Google is actively working on creating a system for users that rivals the computers of Star Trek! In the Star Trek universe, which takes place hundreds of years in the future, space ships are equipped with intelligent computers which can anticipate our needs and answer questions asked in a natural way. Rather than providing lists of possible sources of answers, the systems provide the exact answer you need. Google Now is a far cry from that level of sophistication, but it may not be as far away as you think. In fact, programmers at Google believe that we’re just a few years away from having that kind of sophistication in our devices.
Watch this video to learn more about Google Now:
From a business perspective, every day, there are new developments like this which are designed to make it easier than ever for people to find businesses and information that they’re looking for. If you’re opening a new business, how would you like to have every resident in the area receive a notification to their phone? The thing is, making sure that your business is positioned to take advatange of these technological advancements is neither time-consuming or expensive. Most of the time, all you have to do is make sure that you profiles set up in places like Google+ Local or Foursquare. If you aren’t sure where to start, please contact me for help.
Check out the app and let me know what you think!