Google has been using Google Search as the main go-to for its customer base for years, with even non-smartphone users prefer Google’s Google Search to any other search engines available on the Web. At the same time, though, Google makes money off its mobile ads, and the last thing the company has wanted to do is point people in directions that lead away from the Play Store (Google’s app store for Android) instead of to it.
The search engine giant’s strategy is changing, as Google sees increasing competition within the mobile ad sector, so the company is now working on a way to get users to download Google apps regardless of whether or not they ever visit Google’s Play Store. To achieve this, Google Search is now being used as yet another download tool that lets users download Android apps without visiting the Google Play Store. In other words, search for an app via Google’s search engine box, and you’ll now get to download the app without leaving the page. No need to continue visiting the Google Play Store to download apps when you can download them via Google Search and get on with what you’re doing throughout the day. The images below to show an app download and install from Google Search are provided courtesy of Android Police.
This new capability within Google Search allows users to access apps and multitask in a whole new way; you need not visit the Play Store now and interrupt your business call or even your search just to find an app and download it. Ultimately, you’re allowed to continue what you’re doing with smaller interruption than ever before. Google’s strategy certainly makes sense: if it’s called “Google Search,” then why haven’t consumers been able to perform a Google Search for apps there? This new feature changes all that in a big way.
For those who’ve been dying to use the new Google Search for apps feature, keep in mind that Google is rolling it out to some (not all) users right away, so it may be some days (if not weeks out) before all Android users see it. Google may mandate an update, which seems likely, so make sure you’ve downloaded the latest Google Search update to take advantage of this feature. All in all, not bad Google, not bad.
