So, Google Now is a pretty handy app, isn’t it? With its ability to turn our search and location data into useful facts, bringing us the latest scores from our favourite sports teams (or not), reminding us of appointments and even showing us gas stations on the route you are driving, it’s getting more difficult to imagine life before Google Now. With that, we have news that Google Now is set to become even more useful thanks to the planned release of an open API that any app developer will be able to bake into their apps. More details after the break.
During an interview at SXSW (South by Southwest) Aparna Chennapragada, the Director of Product Management for Google now, said that the app will soon be able to display any third party app data. This will be an expansion of the current pilot of 40 third party apps allowed to do so. She also explained how Google decides just what information should be shown on the Google Now cards:
“The company started out by simply guessing what would be useful, but then surveyed a panel of users by providing them with an app that asked them several times a day what information they would find helpful at that particular moment. Google surveyed thousands of users at a time, over several rounds of surveys. This identified trends that guided the product’s development.”
Over the next 6-12 months, the Google Now team’s focus is to tailor the app towards everyone’s personal preferences. An example of which is how long before a flight people like to arrive at the airport, while I like to get to the airport around 3 hours before a flight, my other half prefers to get there just in time. So while I might receive a card saying I have to leave for the airport now, the other half will receive a card telling her she still have 45 minutes to continue packing.
A feature that might be making an appearance in the future is a card to tell you how long the waiting time is at the theme park ride queue, this idea came about due to Chennapragada’s personal experience at Disneyland. It’s also a great example of how Google Now will assist us in our daily lives, helping us become more efficient with our time management.
One more thing to look forward to that the Google Now team is also working on some Easter Eggs. With April Fool’s Day coming up on the horizon, it’s probably safe to say that we can expect an Easter Egg or two to appear on our Google Now cards on the day.
Source: thenextweb
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