The New Image Search for Android and iPhone

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 | 2:04 PM

When you do an image search, we find that it is typical that you will look through many pages of search results. So in the redesign of Google Image Search for mobile, available today for iPhone 3.0+ and Android 2.1 devices, we focused on making it easy to quickly see as many image thumbnails as possible:

  • The thumbnails are square to maximize the number of images we can get on the screen at one time so you can scan them quickly
  • You can swipe to see the next or previous page of results, or tap the large, stationary 'Next' and 'Previous' page buttons
  • We optimized for speed so that the images appear quickly when you browse
When it comes to viewing the images, we now make them as large as possible by introducing a special image viewing page:
  • The black background emphasizes the image and the buttons fade after a few seconds so you can just see images with little distraction
  • Easily browse through the images by swiping from picture to picture


To try this new version of Image Search, just go to www.google.com on your phone and tap on “Images.” The new experience is available in 38 languages worldwide. Whether you like to look through pictures of prom dresses, impressionist paintings or 猫 ジャンプ we hope you love this update to Image Search for mobile.

Update on 6/2 @ 5:40 pm: This version of Image Search is now available for all Android and Palm webOS devices.

22 comments:

Kenny said...

Awesome. I particularly like how moving side to side is handled as a gesture like you would see it native programs, and not simple scrolling. Can't wait to see this show up in more google mobile sites

Mikevember said...

WebOS follow up soon?

Unknown said...

Last I remember WebOS uses the same WebKit browser that iPhone and Android use. Come on Google, don't you read the news, Palm is in it to win it now.

alex_dlc said...

it does not work for m, i still get the old image search!!!!

Unknown said...

Awesome. Can't wait to see this on webOS.

sarek said...

We need this for WebOS...Please.

Wage Domain said...

Why the iPhone/Android love, but leaving out WebOS? Come on, Google, do a better job supporting WebOS in general.

AhynesG1 said...

This is awesome, I'd love to see it for 1.6 devices.

Anshul said...

You can give a similar interface to picasa mobile version, it limits the number of album pics to 100 as of now. I have so many albums with more then 100 pics and as a result can access all the pics on my mobile.

Craig Eastman said...

Unfortunately I'm still on my 'kicked to the curb' Sprint Hero with v1.5 Cupcake. I've got a growing list of cool new features and apps which I'm just not able to use. New Google Maps Turn-by-Turn, Gesture search, Google Earth, new beta Firebox and the list goes on. HTC has again pushed the 2.1 upgrade on my phone out to June. Just in time to be passed up on the v2.2 update. Will the same happen with the Incredible?

Ahmed Eltawil said...

You guys need better camera lighting on the Nexus One to show its true beauty. The way you're filming these videos now makes it look cheap, dark and dull.

Great work on Google Images for Mobile guys :)

Sincerely,

A happy Nexus One owner.

Tim said...

How about rolling some updates that work on the majority of android devices (1.5 is 38% of the market)? If we can't get official updates from handset makers and wireless companies it would be sweet if Google had our back.

Anonymous said...

@C: You should root your Hero and put a new rom on it :) (mine is working fantastically with 2.1 and if you want help, just lemme know ^^)

GodsDead said...

This is really cool, Too bad HTC are pathetically slow at updates. I have been waiting for 2.1 on my T-Mobile G2 (Hero) For Soo long now.

The Cartographist said...

Not two days ago I was lamenting the terrible interface for image search -- quite a surprise from Google!

This is a very, very welcome update!

Unknown said...

Works for me (2.1 droid)...Id like to be able to swipe for next and previous on regular searches too.

Jes said...

You guys should all get the iPhone 4G it's da bomb

Unknown said...

I want webOS Support this should be practiaclly no work..

Romulo Elizardo said...

it does not work on my HTC Hero.

Anonymous said...

I dont see a way to search for image size.

Anonymous said...

Hello,
Could you please say me whats the name of this song.

thank you.

Pamela said...

Very impressive, what a difference.