08 January 2010

Where do we go from here? Google reveals localised mobile search

Users of smart phones such as the iPhone, or mobiles powered by Google's Android operating system, including the recently unveiled Nexus One, will find a new option on their search screens, as the company integrates geo-positioning into its mobile searches.

A 'Near me now' option has cropped up on the Google landing page, allowing searchers to pinpoint restaurants, pubs or other businesses based on their immediate location.

"We wanted to make it fast and easy to find out more about a place in your immediate vicinity, whether you're standing right in front of a business or if it's just a short walk away," read a posting on Google's mobile blog. The entry highlighted the way users could quickly and easily access reviews and recommendations for businesses in their vicinity.

Google also " wanted to make searching for popular categories of nearby places really simple," according to the 7 January posting. "Imagine that you emerge from the subway station and you want to grab a coffee, but you don't see a coffee shop around you. You can simply search for all nearby coffee shops by using 'Near me now.'"

Users with the 'Near me now' option are presented with an expanded search menu, narrowing searches down by category, which include restaurants, bars, banks and cash machines in addition to the previously mentioned coffee shops.
























In order to properly utilise this feature, smart phone users will need to allow Google to identify their location to the application. How popular this will make the application with those with Google-related privacy concerns is questionable.

With this week's release of the search engine's debut foray into mobile phones, and its late-2009 acquiring of mobile advertising network AdMob, it appears its mobile division is making some serious leaps forward. However, its (as of now) squelched takeover of Yelp, could have provided 'Near me now' an additional boost with its community of users and reviews.

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