Google Search will no longer be fazed by spotty Internet

For all the power we hold in our hands thanks to our smartphones, we are, most of the time, at the mercy of our invisible, intangible Internet connections. As much as we wished the Internet was really everywhere, there are just times and places where even the bravest of radio signals can't reach. And sometimes, that happens when we need it the most, like Googling for that oh so critical trivia. Never fear, because the Google Search Android app will no longer forget what you asked it and will get back to you as soon as the reception clears.

There are times when start a Google search on your phone just as you enter a tunnel that is apparently devoid of all life, or, rather, of all Internet. Or you pass by those horrid places they call "dead zones". Either way, all you get from the app is a broken, blank page that practically insults you by making you type the query again and hope that you got your connection back.

In the latest Google Search app, however, those hurt feelings will be a thing of the past. If you get caught in the middle of a search without an Internet connection, it will still tell you so. But it will also get back to you the moment you get that connection back. It will remember the query and give you the answer, even if you yourself have forgotten what you just asked it.

The feature works completely in the background, so you won't have to lift a finger. That, however, might raise some concern over battery use or mobile data consumption. Google says not to worry, because the app isn't really sending the query again and again, hoping that there's a fresh new connection eventually. It uses the Android platform to notify it when the connection's back. Plus, using streamlined search results pages ensures you only use minimal data necessary.

Since it relies on the Android OS to do the background work, the new Google Search app seems to be available only on Android, provided you have the latest version. No word on when, or even if, the iOS Google Search app will be so lucky.

SOURCE: Google