Google App Updated With iMessage Extension, Drag and Drop for iPad, More

Google today announced several new features for users of its iOS app including the ability to search and share from iMessage, suggestions for related content in Safari, and Drag & Drop for iPad.

Whether you’re messaging a friend about dinner plans or reading an article on sloths, sometimes you want to search for more information without having to drop what you’re doing. Today, we’re introducing three new features to the Google app on iPhone and iPad to help you find what you need and get things done, without disrupting your flow.

Here's a look at each feature:


● Search Google and share, right from iMessage
The Google app for iOS now supports an iMessage extension to help you search and share GIFs, restaurants and videos, whenever you’re messaging a friend. You can tap on the icon for “Food” or “Nearby” to share your favorite locations, or perform a search and share a card directly into the conversation. Want to research a new restaurant before sharing it with friends? Just tap on the restaurant card, and we’ll take you to the Google Search page, where you can look up the busiest times, as well as menus and reviews. Switch to GIF Search mode, and you can find and share a “happy birthday” GIF.

If you already have the Google app on your device, no additional installation is required. Just open iMessage, tap the iMessage apps drawer, and tap on Google app icon.




● Discover and explore from any webpage in Safari
Last year, we added a new way to discover related content while browsing in the Google app for iOS. Now we’re bringing that capability to any browser on your iPhone, including Safari. If you share a webpage with Google, we'll show you suggestions for related content so you can learn more about the topic--no need to type anything new into the search box. Reading up on how to grill fish? With two taps, you can jump straight to tips for keeping fish from sticking to the grill, info on the best fish for grilling, or delicious recipes. Simply tap on the Search Google icon from the share menu to start exploring.





● Drag and drop to search, save, or share on iPad
On iOS 11, you can now drag and drop to quickly and easily move text, images and links to and from the Google app. If you’re reading a great article on the Google app, tap and hold to pick up the link and drag it into iMessage to share with a friend, or into Notes to save for later.




Support for the iMessage extension is only available in the U.S. at this time. You can download Google from the App Store for free.

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