Thursday, December 18, 2008

Optimized search results pages for Android and iPhone

Whether you're using Google search through the search widget on the Android home screen, the built-in search box of the iPhone's Safari browser, or google.com on either device, you'll now end up with search results optimized for your phone. In some situations, you've already been seeing the new search results pages. Now, all Google search options for Android and iPhone lead to results that load faster and are formatted to fit the screen so you don't have to zoom or scroll side-to-side. We've also added touchscreen-friendly buttons and expandable maps for local business results.


The optimized search results pages are currently available in U.S. English for Android and for iPhone and iPod touch devices with firmware 2.x. If you prefer, you can always view desktop search result pages by selecting the "Classic" link at the bottom of any page.

Posted by Steve Kanefsky and Rob Stacey, Software Engineers, Google mobile team
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22 comments:

  1. VladDecember 18, 2008 at 1:07 PM

    I saw a thread about this on Google's mobile discussion boards just the other day. It's nice to know the big G is listening to its user community! Thank you Google employees.

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  2. UnknownDecember 18, 2008 at 1:07 PM

    I want an android phone, if only a Canadian carrier will pick it up.

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  3. Ted AveryDecember 18, 2008 at 1:18 PM

    Still not working for me with the built-in search on iPhone's Safari.

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  4. JasonDecember 18, 2008 at 1:57 PM

    That's nice, but I hope Google doesn't forget Opera Mobile 9.5. It is a very competent mobile browser also.

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  5. SethDecember 18, 2008 at 2:19 PM

    Agreed about the Opera Mobile 9.5 lovin'. Don't forget us too :)

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  6. Blogger is a Stinking Heap of Pig DungDecember 18, 2008 at 2:24 PM

    Did you folks fix the bug where searches from the G1 will often shunt to a blank "mobile search" page? Because that would totally rock.

    -danny

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  7. XandermacDecember 18, 2008 at 3:04 PM

    "open search results in a new window" doesn't work on the iPhone in google mobile! Great job, excellent decision making.

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  8. JamesDecember 18, 2008 at 3:54 PM

    Please bring this to the UK soon!

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  9. DadDecember 18, 2008 at 4:54 PM

    Why the lack of support for Blackberry's? We're dying for better apps.

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  10. ZapaDecember 18, 2008 at 8:42 PM

    Make something cool for normal people too. I use Nokia 5800.

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  11. Mike GraytonDecember 19, 2008 at 1:44 AM

    Very cool - Windows Mobile wants these apps too.

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  12. ShawnDecember 19, 2008 at 5:44 AM

    Looks very fast and ideal for searches.

    However this doesn't sound like Google is following what the skeptics were saying last year. The big difference is that they took out the ads! Don't get me wrong, I love it. But I thought the whole reason Google wanted to get into the cell phone market was to get more users to expand their ad market. Are they putting them somewhere else? Any comments?

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  13. ShawnDecember 19, 2008 at 5:46 AM

    //* Forgot to click the email follow-up button. Sorry *//

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  14. Allen LuluDecember 19, 2008 at 7:09 PM

    Pardon the ignorance but how do you update?

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  15. Peter DietzDecember 20, 2008 at 1:25 PM

    Might be the wrong forum for feedback, but with the video link disappearing I noticed this change immediately, and did not like it.

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  16. UnknownDecember 22, 2008 at 7:20 AM

    Thanks Google! Seeing these new results on my G1 makes googlesearches so much quicker and easier to digest. Solid improvement. Now when can we expect some more functional enhancements to the G1?

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  17. UnknownDecember 22, 2008 at 7:28 AM

    Would be great to Include the Blackberry Storm in this browser detection.

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  18. BenDecember 26, 2008 at 6:56 AM

    I like having the optimized results on my iPod Touch, but I HATE being sent to an ugly mobile-formatted page when I click on any of them. The whole point of Safari for the iPhone/iPod Touch is that you can look at real web pages. How about an option to keep the optimized results page but then link to the full-blown web pages?

    Ben

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  19. EvanDecember 28, 2008 at 6:23 PM

    Agree with ben. I thought this was a mistake but now I see it's intentional. The mobile formatted result links are useless and just force me to scroll to the bottom to get the additional link to the real webpage.

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  20. marcDecember 29, 2008 at 8:12 AM

    In response to shawns question my guess is that they are waiting to make sure they have got search right on android before they put ads in

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  21. UnknownJanuary 23, 2009 at 8:58 AM

    To Ben and Evan, reposted from Google Help:

    How to disable the awful mobile-formatted pages when clicking through search results on iPhone

    1. Go to www.google.com
    2. Click the iGoogle link in the upper right
    3. Click Settings at the bottom of the page
    4. Scroll down to Search Settings and ensure that "Format web pages for your phone" is set to Off

    That did it for me. If for some reason this doesn't work for you, I also noticed a similar setting under the Reader tab on the iPhone-optimized google.com

    Hope this helps!

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  22. BenJanuary 25, 2009 at 8:05 AM

    Thanks, JohnnyHighGround!

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