Google Now On iOS Updated, Brings Better Conversational Search

Google has updated their Now search skin for iOS, bringing a more conversational layer to the interface. You can now ask questions, then follow them up with natural language. Improved results and web scouring are also included in the update.

The biggest feature is one we originally saw at Google I/O last year, wherein you can ask follow-up questions to a query with plain english. Ask where something like the nearest mall is, and Now will tell you. Then follow that up with "how far away am I from there?", and Now will tell you. It's an ongoing effort to have search think more like we do rather than utter commands.

Google is also promising info about articles from your favorite author (all of us at SlashGear, naturally), or one that relates to an upcoming trip. Google knows what you read and where you're going based on information it culls from other sources like Gmail, so it's putting that data to good use.

Cricket fans will be happy, as Now is feeding scores and other info to their service. A quicker launch (much needed) is included, as are "more beautiful and fluid image results". The update is ready now, so if you've not seen it yet, visit the App Store and navigate to Updates to check on the status.