Eric Schmidt: Ball is in Apple's Court When it Comes to Google Now on iPhone and iPad

[Akshay Masand]

Based on a supposed leaked video from last week, rumors have been going around that Google Now could be coming to iPhones and iPads. For those who do not know what Google Now is, it's an app that helps provide information in a whim but for Android devices. At the Google Big Tent Summit in India, Google CEO Eric Schmidt hinted that the app is waiting for approval by Apple as it has already been submitted for publication in the App store.

When moderator Alan Rusbridger directly asked Schmidt about when Google Now would work with the iPhone, Schmidt’s response was "You'll need to discuss that with Apple. Apple has a policy of approving or disapproving apps in its store. Some of the apps we make they approve and some of them they don't." The official recording is here, and at around 17:50 is where you’ll be able to hear the response.

It’s not the first time Apple has delayed the approval of Google apps- but surprisingly, they were quick to approve Google Maps when it was released as a standalone app. The leaked video by Engadget shows how Google Now would work on iPhones and iPads. With a simple swipe on the screen, the smart assistant would be available from within the Google Search app.

Would you get Google Now on your iOS device - or do you prefer to stick to alternative apps instead?

Source: TechCrunch

[b1997469]

Hope its not limited to higher devices or IOS6 as my iPhone 4 on IOS5.1.1 isn't going to be updated and Google works on it atm so I hope it will keep working so I will get some sort of assistant too.

[n00neimp0rtant]

No, it's not. Please stop saying this. Google Now is not a "Siri-like assistant." It is a feature that flows hour-to-hour info on your screen by monitoring your patterns in location, calendar events, tasks, etc. For example, if youre about to leave work, it migh show you current traffic, or if you always go to a park on the weekend, it might show you weather there on Friday. That's why it's called "Now."

The "Siri-like assistant" you are talking about is just called "voice search," and it's already available on iOS as a feature in the standard Google app from the App Store.

This is not the first time MMi has incorrectly reported on Google Now. The fact that the "NowNow" tweak is also incorrectly named after Google Now doesn't help either. Please please please stop spreading this misinformation.

[robert_ayala]

No, it's not. Please stop saying this. Google Now is not a "Siri-like assistant." It is a feature that flows hour-to-hour info on your screen by monitoring your patterns in location, calendar events, tasks, etc. For example, if youre about to leave work, it migh show you current traffic, or if you always go to a park on the weekend, it might show you weather there on Friday. That's why it's called "Now."

The "Siri-like assistant" you are talking about is just called "voice search," and it's already available on iOS as a feature in the standard Google app from the App Store.

This is not the first time MMi has incorrectly reported on Google Now. The fact that the "NowNow" tweak is also incorrectly named after Google Now doesn't help either. Please please please stop spreading this misinformation.

Your statements are only half true. Yes, while Google Now does provide information across various needs (calendar, nearby events and restaurants, stocks, etc.) when needed; it ALSO provides siri like voice assistance with links to web sites AND information cards. There have been many video comparisons between Siri and Google Now with GN consistently providing better and more accurate results.

I am very excited at the thought of have Google Now on my iOS devices and hope Apple does not block this.

[n00neimp0rtant]

Your statements are only half true. Yes, while Google Now does provide information across various needs (calendar, nearby events and restaurants, stocks, etc.) when needed; it ALSO provides siri like voice assistance with links to web sites AND information cards. There have been many video comparisons between Siri and Google Now with GN consistently providing better and more accurate results.

I am very excited at the thought of have Google Now on my iOS devices and hope Apple does not block this.

Once again, this is NOT Google Now and already exists on iOS, information cards and all.





Here is a video demonstrating what Google Now is.

[Scotty Manley Silberhorn]

Hope its not limited to higher devices or IOS6 as my iPhone 4 on IOS5.1.1 isn't going to be updated and Google works on it atm so I hope it will keep working so I will get some sort of assistant too.

Why are you still on 5.1.1? You should've updated to 6.1.2 when you has the chance. If they don't make it compatible with iOS 5. Then you have no one to blame but yourself.

[vinaygoel2000]

Why are you still on 5.1.1? You should've updated to 6.1.2 when you has the chance. If they don't make it compatible with iOS 5. Then you have no one to blame but yourself.

Maybe he's on 5.1.1 as he has an iPhone 4 and maybe iPhone 4 doesn't run as smooth as an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 on 6.1.2.

Does Google Now works using a geofence and thus affecting battery life? That might be one reason Android users have to charge their phone every 4-5 hours.

[Tperry]

Maybe he's on 5.1.1 as he has an iPhone 4 and maybe iPhone 4 doesn't run as smooth as an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 on 6.1.2.

Does Google Now works using a geofence and thus affecting battery life? That might be one reason Android users have to charge their phone every 4-5 hours.

Wife charges takes hers off the charger at 6am and it goes ack on at 9pm when she goes to bed. When it goes back on charger there is around 25% battery left. She would be defined as an average user. Actually her battery life is better than my iPhone. Of course she has the MAXX HD. My S-3 can go 8 hous of my use easily. So the 4-5 hour between charge refrain is a shaky peg to make a statent about Android on.

[vinaygoel2000]

Wife charges takes hers off the charger at 6am and it goes ack on at 9pm when she goes to bed. When it goes back on charger there is around 25% battery left. She would be defined as an average user. Actually her battery life is better than my iPhone. Of course she has the MAXX HD. My S-3 can go 8 hous of my use easily. So the 4-5 hour between charge refrain is a shaky peg to make a statent about Android on.

Sorry. All the Android folks I know at work keep complaining about their battery life. That's why I posted. They might be on some older OS. I know their phones are pretty new. Do you or your wife use Google Now?

[trek-life]

No, it's not. Please stop saying this. Google Now is not a "Siri-like assistant." It is a feature that flows hour-to-hour info on your screen by monitoring your patterns in location, calendar events, tasks, etc. For example, if youre about to leave work, it migh show you current traffic, or if you always go to a park on the weekend, it might show you weather there on Friday. That's why it's called "Now."

The "Siri-like assistant" you are talking about is just called "voice search," and it's already available on iOS as a feature in the standard Google app from the App Store.

This is not the first time MMi has incorrectly reported on Google Now. The fact that the "NowNow" tweak is also incorrectly named after Google Now doesn't help either. Please please please stop spreading this misinformation.

I wish people were this enthusiastic about fact checking on actual important issues.

[Tperry]

Sorry. All the Android folks I know at work keep complaining about their battery life. That's why I posted. They might be on some older OS. I know their phones are pretty new. Do you or your wife use Google Now?

She does. I do on the S3 every now and then. About as often as I do Siri.
All new Android phones are not equal. A 3300ma battery in a a phone = long times between charging.

[TooSlo]

Sorry. All the Android folks I know at work keep complaining about their battery life. That's why I posted. They might be on some older OS. I know their phones are pretty new. Do you or your wife use Google Now?

My Nexus 4 routinely gets ~36-40 hours of idle time with Google Now, Latitude and several email accounts synced. In case anyone feels the need for a screenshot, here's my dash widget from the other day when I was talking to some friends about how JB 4.2.2 is doing just fine with power consumption.

http://i.imgur.com/w7OVSu5.png

[Tperry]

My Nexus 4 routinely gets ~36-40 hours of idle time with Google Now, Latitude and several email accounts synced. In case anyone feels the need for a screenshot, here's my dash widget from the other day when I was talking to some friends about how JB 4.2.2 is doing just fine with power consumption.

http://i.imgur.com/w7OVSu5.png

If we are talking idle time, yes they last longer.... But the discussion pertains to actually using the device. The S3 just pulled 4.1.2 in so we will see how it does. So far in 10 hours of idle time it's dropped 20%.

[TechnoUniversity]

Maybe he's on 5.1.1 as he has an iPhone 4 and maybe iPhone 4 doesn't run as smooth as an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 on 6.1.2.

Does Google Now works using a geofence and thus affecting battery life? That might be one reason Android users have to charge their phone every 4-5 hours.

You living in that old fanboy world huh?

If we are talking idle time, yes they last longer.... But the discussion pertains to actually using the device. The S3 just pulled 4.1.2 in so we will see how it does. So far in 10 hours of idle time it's dropped 20%.

I use my nexus 4 a lot and I never had a issue with battery life.

[bologna]

Why are you still on 5.1.1? You should've updated to 6.1.2 when you has the chance. If they don't make it compatible with iOS 5. Then you have no one to blame but yourself.

I have iOS 5.1.1. Just for the original Maps app (Apple interface with Google data). That original Maps app is *STILL* better than the new Google Maps app *and* the iOS6 Apple Maps app. I'll tell you why.

Two reasons:

1. iOS 5 Maps shows mass-transit directions as a visual blue line with dots, each dot has labeled balloons pointing out subway line and bus transfers. The new Google Maps shows transit directions only show blank dots that say *nothing.* The new Apple Maps doesn't even have mass transit directions at all!
   
   
2. The original iOS 5 Maps shows one-way-street arrow markers zoomed out to a range of 1.2 miles. The new Google Maps app shows one-way arrows within a MUCH smaller range of only 0.2 miles! That's only about four blocks, so what's the point? (Apple's new Maps shows not much more than Google's new Maps as well). One-way arrow markers are *essential* for figuring out on-the-fly alternate taxi or cycling routes in Manhattan which is 95% one-way streets.

I guess most people don't notice those two issues because they live in less populated area. Those two issues matter bigtime to people who live within a large city with mass transit and a lot of one-way streets. So upgrading to iOS 6 as a New Yorker makes mapping noticeably worse. Not just a little worse, but a "Damn, I wish I never updated" worse (which is what nearly all of my friends say). Trust me, I'd love to go to iOS 6; I regularly check friends' iPhones to do direct side-by-side tests each time a new iOS 6 update comes out, and I regularly take a peek at the new Google Maps to see if they got their $#!t together yet. Both still aren't good enough. I'm sticking with iOS 5.1.1. So please chill out and get off your iOS 6 high horse.

(Sorry I digressed from the OP topic guys, but I had to say this.)

[vinaygoel2000]

You living in that old fanboy world huh?

I live in Florida. Maybe you live in a Android World, wherever that is.

[Painkiller006]

My Nexus 4 routinely gets ~36-40 hours of idle time with Google Now, Latitude and several email accounts synced. In case anyone feels the need for a screenshot, here's my dash widget from the other day when I was talking to some friends about how JB 4.2.2 is doing just fine with power consumption.

http://i.imgur.com/w7OVSu5.png

BaconReader lol +1 for you fellow redditor