If you want to search for something on Google, you start typing the initials of the word and the Google starts showing several search terms that are related to your search term. This feature is called Instant Search and was made a part of Google search in 2010. While some found it convenient, there were some, including Google, who found the feature to be annoying. Therefore, the search giant has finally decided to get rid of the Instant Search feature.
Google believes that removing the feature will help smartphone users to use Google search more conveniently. The Alphabet Inc-owned company believes that majority of the search on its search engine is done from mobile devices. Since mobile devices have a smaller form factor compared to computers, the Instant Search function came in the way of a smoother searching experience. The page reloads every time a character is typed, which is an inconvenience for mobile devices with inferior specifications.
“We launched Google Instant back in 2010 with the goal to provide users with the information they need as quickly as possible, even as they typed their searches on desktop devices. Since then, many more of our searches happen on mobile, with very different input and interaction and screen constraints. With this in mind, we have decided to remove Google Instant, so we can focus on ways to make Search even faster and more fluid on all devices,” said Google.
With the Instant Search gone, the convenience of typing a part of your search term to get the complete term will be gone. Users will now have to type whole words before pressing the ‘Search’ button. It could also be possible that Google is wanting smartphone users to move towards voice-based search by through the likes of Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple’s Siri.
