Google Now Makes its Way to iOS

Google Now is Google’s version of an intelligent personal assistant. You can communicate with Google Now using a natural language user interface. It is designed to perform functions like answer questions and make recommendations as well as deliver predictive information. It can even predict what you will want based on your search habits. That is correct; it keeps and tracks your search history.

Until now, the service has been available on Android. In March, we reported that “leaked” information from Google made reference to a Google Now app being built for Apple’s iOS. As of April 29, 2013 Google Now is also available on iOS and can be leveraged with either an iPhone or iPad. Google sees Google Now as representing the future rather than where it is now. Most of Google’s revenue comes from desktop search advertising.

According to Andrea Huey who is a Google engineer, “Google Now is about giving you just the right information at just the right time. It can show you the day's weather as you get dressed in the morning, or alert you that there's heavy traffic between you and your butterfly-inducing date -- so you'd better leave now! It can also share news updates on a story you've been following, remind you to leave for the airport so you can make your flight and much more."

Google Now looks at (monitors) how you use your device as well as the information you generate in Google’s various services. From this information, it then generates a series of cards with details it thinks might be useful to you.

An example would be if you have labeled your home and work location on Google Maps, Google Now can automatically show you how long of a commute you will have based on current traffic conditions. It can show you flight information if you are traveling, weather, sports scores and restaurants near your current location..

Since the service has a voice interface similar to Apple’s Siri, you do not have to type anything. Recently, Google CEO Larry Page commented that typing on a mobile device is a hassle. There has been a push from Google to advance voice input so that no typing is required.

Market research firm International Data Corporation’s (IDC) Program Director for Applications Development Software, Al Hilwa said “Google Now, like Apple's Siri, matters because of the shift toward voice interfaces for search. In fact, for the promise of wearable computing to be delivered, these mechanisms of interaction are a must and I expect they will evolve rapidly over the next couple of years."

Hilwa also mentioned some of the possible problems with Google Now when he said, "There is clearly a tradeoff for users as they have to provide a great deal of personal information to the service to get relevant and effective contextual help. This data is potentially used for any number of other things the user may not be aware of, but some users will find this a worthwhile gambit, especially as the technology evolves to provide more effective assistance in day-to-day life."

Another potential problem is battery life. In order for a lot of the features to work, Google Now needs to know where you are pretty much all of the time. That requires you to have location services running at all times. This service puts a major strain on an iPhone or iPad’s battery life.

Keep in mind that if you have location services running, then Google is tracking every step you take at all times. Even if you turn the service off after a while, Google still retains the information of where you have been. This is something that everyone should be aware of, especially if you are sensitive about your privacy.