Google Now 2015: Now on Tap

Google announced Now On Tap on its annual conference for developers yesterday. To put it simply, Now On Tap is the improved version of Google Now but the idea behind Now On Tap is to make it smarter and faster, and make it work (almost) anywhere. It focuses on 3 specific area: understanding context, providing answers and helping users take action.

We managed to take a quick look on a few specific use cases of how Now On Tap works:-

• While reading an email with the movie title Tomorrowland in the text, tapping and holding the Home button brings up a Google Now card about the movie, with links to play the trailer on YouTube or look up info on IMDB (among others)
• In a text message that mentions a local restaurant, tapping and holding the Home button brings up local business info with Yelp and OpenTable buttons links (among others)
• While reading an article about the TV show Veep in a mobile browser, Now On Tap brings up Google Now cards about actor Hugh Laurie

The Now On Tap cards are Google’s best guess at the information users want based on what they’re doing. If the cards don’t provide what the users need, Now On Tap also lets them say “Okay Google” from any screen or app to ask a specific question.

Now On Tap is part of the upcoming Android M OS which will be released to consumers later this year. Developers don’t need to do anything new to have their apps work with Now On Tap, as long as the apps are being indexed by Google.