Everyone loves a good Monday bit of news on Google, right? You’ll love this one then, for sure. The latest version of Google’s Search app, which implements Google Now for tracking your important information on cards and Google’s voice search with the probably now-obnoxious ‘Ok Google’ hotword as well as generic searches for information, and if accompanied on-device by the Google Now Launcher which became compatible with every Android device running Android 4.1 and above in last week’s update to the app, a full-functioning launcher for the Google-aholics within some of us. Today’s news is regarding the recent Google Search app, whose version now sits at 3.6.13 after last week’s update. Last week’s update, it seems, left us all a clue to an upcoming feature regarding sending things, like little bits of text or a URL for example, from your computer to your Android device. The feature was found by Android Police who did an APK teardown and looked through the code for changes and secrets of various types and descriptions. They found this one for us.
The features looks to be able to make the Search app able to receive a little push notification from your computer, likely from Chrome where you are also signed in, and copy the text contained in the notification, and it tells you that it was “Sent from your computer”. The feature is not enabled yet, and might not be for a few updates, but the Android Police team was able to simulate the feature on the Android device side of the feature. The screenshots are down below in the gallery, if you’re curious.
What could Google be doing with this? Well, it could be that Google is setting up to have you be able to do something like Pushbullet, which lets you send links, pages and documents between devices using a push notifications, just without notification mirroring (yet! Get on that Google!). The feature might also be a new use case for Google voice searching in Chrome on your desktop, like sending a result or some bit of the results to your device so you can do the search while sitting, then go off and be productive off-desk while still having the search results. Either way, it will be great for us with a connected lifestyle, and especially great for people who need to show off nifty features that quickly become essential for your Google and Android way of life.
Also, thanks to Cody Toombs at Android Police for making the program to simulate the function, shown below, and for capturing the process in screenshots.
