Google Search App For iMessage Allows Google Searches Sans Exiting iOS App

Google has launched a new Google Search app extension for Apple’s iMessage instant messaging service. What this extension does is allow iPhone users to perform Google searches without the need to exit the iOS app.

Google announced via its Blog Monday that iMessage users will henceforth be capable of searching and sharing GIFs, restaurant info and even videos using the new Google for iMessage extension. “Whether you’re messaging a friend about dinner plans or reading an article on sloths, sometimes you want to search for more information without having to drop what you’re doing,” Google stated while introducing the new extension.

Users do not need to install anything to access the new extension. Google says it has incorporated the feature on its end, so users can just launch iMessage, tap the apps drawer and conduct a Google search by tapping on the Google app icon. Doing so will open an interface for Google searches.

The Google Search interface has quick buttons for accessing weather, nearby restaurants and other information about certain parks and museums in the area. It also has quick access to trending news stories and trending videos on Google. There’s also a GIF button that enables quick searches for GIFs to share. For traditional web searches, users can do this by keying in their inquiries into the search bar at the top of the interface.

“You can tap on the icon for ‘Food’ or ‘Nearby’ to share your favorite locations, or perform a search and share a card directly into the conversation. Want to research a new restaurant before sharing it with friends? Just tap on the restaurant card, and we’ll take you to the Google Search page, where you can look up the busiest times, as well as menus and reviews. Switch to GIF Search mode, and you can find and share a ‘happy birthday’ GIF,” Google explained.

MacRumors reports that Google has also announced another perk for iMessage users with iPhones or iPads running iOS 11. There is now a feature that allows them to drag and drop text, images and links to and from the Google app. What this means is that users can easily forward stuff they find on the Google app into iMessage or into Notes to save for later.

Finally, Google introduced a new related suggestions option for browsers including Safari. Basically, what this does is provide suggestions for related content on a story or webpage you shared via a browser to the Google app. Google says this will help users learn more about the topic they shared without having to perform quick searches using the search box. To access this feature, users must first visit a webpage, then select the Share icon and choose the “Search Google” shortcut.

“Reading up on how to grill fish? With two taps, you can jump straight to tips for keeping fish from sticking to the grill, info on the best fish for grilling, or delicious recipes. Simply tap on the Search Google icon from the share menu to start exploring,” Google said.