Sep 27, 2013

Google Search is turning 15 and to mark the occasion, Amit Singhal, Senior VP with Google Search, spent some time reminiscing about where search has been and more importantly, where Google is going. If you were online back in 1998, you will probably appreciate the memories of the simple blue links that Google returned in response to a search query, a result that Singhal says may have seemed “like magic.” Interestingly, Google’s pondering of the future clearly focused on the search platform on mobile devices, which may be a telling clue about where Google sees the world headed.

To help whet the appetite for the next 15 years, Singhal mentions some improvements that users on mobile devices will see over the next few weeks. First, Google is expanding the functionality of the Knowledge Graph so it can address more questions. Part of this effort will involve the introduction of a new filter tool for web results, which appears to mimic the way image results are presented now, with a row along the top that groups certain results. Another part of the Knowledge Graph improvements is the ability to access the new comparison tool. Using this new tool, users can structure a query in the format “Compare butter with olive oil” and get a table of results with key differences. It does appear these comparison questions can only be asked of items that Google has already compared and not items on the fly.

Google also indicates updates for the iOS version of Google search will be coming in a couple weeks that will enable those users to get notifications across devices, even if the original entry took place on an Android device. Google Now notifications will also be added to the mix. Finally, a new look for Google Search is rolling out that is optimized for touch devices and has a cleaner, more simple look that clusters results on cards.

Singhal says the future involves Google doing more hard work for you so you can get “the best possible answers,” it is “easy to have a conversation,” and Google may even be able to help you before you even have to ask a question.

What aspect of Google Search from the past 15 years did you find notable? How do you think Google will change over the next 15 years?