Google is currently on an escapade for integrating and converging third-party services into its ever-growing search platform. The attempt initially commenced by constantly updating Google Now for soliciting every other application’s alerts and suggestions whether it’s Saavn’s playlists or Todoist tasks. Same goes for their “Inbox” platform which recently gained the ability to recognize incoming Trello and Github emails. Today, however, the Mountainview giant is taking this a step further and adding a new tab on its search app, “In Apps” for quickly locating content from apps installed on your phone.
The new inclusion is accessible by merely searching on Google’s mobile application and selecting the “In Apps” filters which will accommodate snippets of information from installed apps such as Gmail, Spotify and more. For instance, querying a person’s name can bring up matching conversions from Facebook Messenger or Gmail and it also allows you to expand the card right into the Google app eliminating the entire need for launching a separate app entirely. Additionally, searching for a string can gather notes from Google Keep and Evernote or you can look for a song on Spotify. “In-Apps” feature not only brings a unified search platform but also fabricates a comprehensive destination for interacting with various services right there.
Furthermore, this feature can function offline, however, the implementation comes down to developers. The list of supported apps currently is quite limited, although, Google has already enrolled leading parties including Evernote, LinkedIn, Todoist and more. Users can, moreover, filter selected apps in case they don’t want them to appear in search results. “In-Apps” is, as of now, live on Nexus phones running Android Nougat with the latest beta version of the Google app. However, it may take some time to reach your device. Google’s attempt to merge third-party applications looks substantially important, although, the caveat of requiring a phone running Android Nougat is a major shortcoming they need work on.