Safari browser and AJAX-like technologies helped improve Google apps to work better on the Apple iPhone…
“It never released the much-rumored Google Phone, but now Google has said it is developing software for use in the Apple iPhone…”
New York — In another of many recent mobile-oriented announcements, Google Inc. on Wednesday rolled out a new application for Apple Inc.’s iPhone that provides users with a more intuitive way to access Google’s online services such as e-mail, search and calendar into a single interface.
“The iPhone home screen makes it easier to run Google’s web applications services such as Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Reader on the Apple iPhone, much in the same way as the forthcoming Open Handset Alliance (OHA) handsets will, according to a press statement.
“There is also a link for one-click access to other services such as Google Docs, Google Maps, Google News, Picasa, and Blogger.”
The application is launched when a user points the iPhone Web browser to www.google.com, Google said in a statement.
In its announcement of a new interface for the iPhone, Google made a point of saying that its “overall goal” is to provide users with access to information via applications that are “device-independent.” The latest incarnation of that strategy in the Google interface for the iPhone could provide an indication of Google’s goals for future mobile devices.
Google, which aims to replicate its success in desktop computer Web use on mobile phones, said the new application would make it easier to find, use and switch between its services on the iPhone.
The company is also working to develop new mobile technologies that are faster, easier to use, and available on more devices but Google did not give details.
In a blog post, Steve Kanefsky, a software engineer for Google’s mobile team, explains that he began to redesign Google’s home page for iPhone users after the iPhone launched to make better use of its touch screen, Wi-Fi, and Safari browser.
“I started thinking about how to use Ajax technology to improve Google on the iPhone,” Kanefsky said. “I set out to create an application that would preload my favorite Google products and allow me to switch between them instantly. I wanted Web results as well as image, local, and news results without having to repeat my search. I wanted to check Gmail and my news feeds in Google Reader without having to load a new page every time. I also wanted Google Suggest to save me time typing queries on the virtual keyboard.”
Google took advantage of browser technologies such as “AJAX” in providing the capability. The applications reportedly respond more quickly through this customized iPhone interface than they would if the iPhone user just visited Google normally.
Google said the interface uses Ajax (asynchronous JavaScript and XML) and other technologies to provide this optimized device-specific version. Ajax has been used by the company to make Google Maps, Gmail, and other applications respond more quickly.
Some of the credit goes to the iPhone Safari browser as well, which offers “an excellent mobile Internet experience,” the statement said.
This is not Google’s first foray into iPhone-specific interfaces. Google Maps already has been optimized for the iPhone. And one of the iPhone’s first device-specific native applications was for YouTube videos. YouTube is owned by Google.
Google’s homepage has also had a makeover in order to make it use the Apple iPhone touchscreen, Wi-Fi connectivity and Safari web browser better. The updated version is now live for Apple iPhone users who visit the Google.com homepage.
Other efforts to expand in wireless include the announcement last week, after months of leading lobbying efforts for more open-access policies in the auctioning of 700-MHz bandwidth, Google announced that it would bid in an upcoming U.S. wireless airwaves auction to launch a wireless network, pitting it against established providers Verizon Wireless and AT&T Inc.
“AT&T is the exclusive U.S. carrier for iPhone.”
Scheduled for January, the auction by the Federal Communications Commission will make available frequencies from analog television stations that are now switching to digital transmission.
“Mixing and matching applications, by vendors and users for specific devices, could be the key to the creation of a vibrant, open, post-auction environment — as with, for instance, Google’s most recent approach to the iPhone.”
Google’s iPhone interface shows how device-sensing, device-optimized interfaces might be readily available for a multitude of handsets. Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with industry research firm Jupiter Research, noted that, while Google’s new iPhone interface is a device-specific one, Google can deliver it via the browser and “the consumer does not need to install anything.”
In a separate project, Google is also developing an operating system for mobile phones known as “Android” and based on open source Linux technology. It has about 30 partners including carriers and phone makers supporting the project.
The iPhone, with its touch-screen and full Web browser, became the most talked about cell phone this year when it went on sale in the United States in late June. It has since launched in countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom.
Google Maps and YouTube were among the first applications available on iPhone. Apple said last month that it would allow outside developers to create software for iPhone and that it planned to make a developers kit available in February.
The new offering is part of Google’s overall intent to provide users with access to information on any device, the company added. “We are working to develop new mobile technologies that are faster, easier to use and available on more devices,” the statement said.
“Google recently launched My Location, a Google Maps capability that allows users to see their location directly on a map with or without GPS.”
Judging by the supportive nature of the comments posted on the Official Google Mobile Blog about the new changes, the net result of the redesign appears likely to be happier users and greater use of Google services through mobile phones.