Google has announced that its app for iOS is introducing several new changes today. The new tweaks are aimed at letting users discover and share information more fluidly across iMessage and the Google app itself.
For starters, the Google app for iOS now supports an iMessage extension that lets users search for and share things like videos, businesses, and more when messaging others. In the example below, icons like “Food” or “Nearby” can be tapped to discover and then share locations directly within iMessage. To the right of the search bar is a dedicated button which switches things into GIF Search mode. If you already have the Google app, as long as you’re updated to the newest version, it should automatically appear in the iMessage apps drawer. For now, this feature is only available in the US.
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The company is also building upon the related content feature it introduced last year within the Google app for iOS. Now, the ability to discover related content works with any browser on your device. So if you go to the share sheet from a webpage in Safari, for instance, you can choose to have Google automatically show suggestions for related content without having to perform an additional search. An example, Google says, is looking up how to grill fish. Related information that might be served to you could include “tips for keeping fish from sticking to the grill, info on the best fish for grilling, or delicious recipes.”
Lastly, if you are using an iPad with iOS 11, you can now drag and drop to move text, images, and links to and from the Google app. For example, a simple tap and hold on an article will now allow you to drag the link into other apps like iMessage or Notes.
