Google
is working on bringing an open API for Google Now which will allow all
the apps installed on your phone to show updates in the cards style. At
the moment, Google now only works with 40 third party apps.
According
to a report in The Next Web, Google Now’s director of project
management, Aparna Chennapragada suggested that the open API would let
more apps give users relevant information before the user even activates
the app. According to Chennapragada who was speaking at the South by
South West (SXSW) event, the individual’s app usage pattern would help
Google Now guide which data needed to be shown.
Insights
into how Google Now works in the background was also discussed at the
talk. According to Chennapragada, initially Google used to guess what
would be relevant to its users. This was followed by surveying a panel
of users by giving them an app that would ask them at regular intervals
of time, what information would be relevant for them at that point in
time. Google did this study with thousands of users to improve Google
Now’s functionality and predictability.
Targetting
user specific cards rather than pushing out general notifications which
are applicable to everyone, is where Google Now’s next challenge lies.
According to Chennapragada, Google’s personal team members’ real life
experiences also helped in adding more functionality. She mentioned how
her recent visit to Disneyland prompted her to work on providing theme
park ride queue times in future updates of Now.
The Google Now team will also add on the ‘Easter Eggs’ feature on Now which will be similar to Google Search’s ‘flip a coin’.
Posted by : Gizmeon
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