The web can be compared to the universe – it’s all around us and no-one knows quite where it ends or just how big it is. A few years ago it was easy to navigate, explore and find what you wanted by using search engines. However, the rise of smartphones has shifted people’s internet habits and usage.
It is more common now for people to spend time on their mobile apps and less time on the web. Apps are isolated, with no links and not visible to any search engine. So, hang on a minute, how can you get yourself, your business or your organisation known if people are hiding away in their own little app world?
The answer, according to California tech company Quixey, is to develop a search engine that can look inside apps to find out what you need.
Quixey, whose headquarters are just across town from Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, are dedicating $74 million to their goal of creating a search box to go on mobile phones.
A prototype, seen by MIT Technology Review, is due to be released later this year. It focuses on places to eat and drink. When asked to find a certain type of cuisine it comes up with highly rated places nearby rated by review apps like Yelp and Urbanspoon. It can also show links to the OpenTable app where you can make reservations and check availability.
It should make mobile searching far more streamlined, and that’s a plus for both those who want to feature in the search engine results and the mobile user.
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