Google has had enough of spotty connections that prevent users from searching for anything under the sun online, and to make them more bearable, it's rolling out a new feature that lets its Android app store offline queries and complete the task the moment a stable signal turns up.
Who Will Benefit From This?
Stating the obvious, users who can't seem to keep a solid online connection but have a lot of questions to ask Google will mainly make the most out of this.
To be clear of what's in store, the new feature addresses different kinds of situations that mobile consumers might be facing more often than not.
For instance, those who live in an area with weak signal, who don't have a data plan, who don't have a reliable Wi-Fi connection, and who keep airplane mode on can queue up all their searches and just get back to them when they find a way to get online at a friend's home, a café, or any other place where a good signal is available.
It's also worth mentioning that Google lists down a commuter who can't read their news, a farmer checking crop prices in a field with no service, and anyone who's going through a tunnel as examples of users who'll find the offline search feature useful.
Data Charges, Battery Life? No Problem, Google Says
According to Google, the app's new ability won't have much of an effect on data usage, as it uses streamlined search pages, which lay out results in a simple, fast-to-load format.
Meanwhile, regarding battery life, Google Product Manager Shekhar Sharad simply assures users that it won't be draining any smartphone's juice.
"And if you're worried about data charges or preserving battery life, don't fret. This feature won't drain your battery, and by fetching streamlined search results pages, it minimally impacts data usage," Sharad says.
A Closer Look At The Feature
For a better idea of what's up, here are some screenshots:
As everyone can see, there's a new "Manage searches" option that's accessible via the drawer button. When tapped, users will get to see all the pending searches.
Also, users can go to Settings > Offline search to turn on "Always retry searches" to let them get notifications whenever one of their queries is ready.
The Bottom Line
Long story short, users who don't have access to a stable internet connection will have an easier time in making Google searches moving forward, which makes the whole thing less of a headache.
Just remember to keep the Google app for Android updated to the latest version to take advantage of the new offline search feature.
Before wrapping things up, it should be pointed out that this isn't the first time the Mountain View company has made one of its services to somewhat work under circumstances without an online connection, including Translate and Maps, to mention a few.
Now, with everything cleared up, what do you think of what Google cooked up for searching with spotty connections? Feel free to drop by our comments section below and let us know.
