New Google Search Feature Indexes App Data

Google today announced a new search feature that delivers results from within installed apps. The new feature is aimed at helping users access the content they’re looking for more quickly.

If a user, for instance, has the IMDB app installed and searches for “Pulp Fiction,” the search results will now include a listing for “Pulp Fiction” from the IMDB directory.

Users will be able to select “open in app” to open the app with the pertinent information already loaded. To use the “open in app” button, users must be signed into their Google accounts. Otherwise, relevant apps will still be displayed, along with an option to download. The Download button will be included in search results whenever a relevant app is found in the Google Play store.

“A task as simple as choosing a movie to see can actually be complex — and the information you want can be in several different places, often in apps. You might get your trivia from IMDb, the box office stats from Wikipedia and ratings from Rotten Tomatoes,” the company wrote in a blog posting.

The new feature is available on Android 2.3+ devices through the Google Search app or via Chrome and Android browsers. Additionally, it is only available to American users with their language set to English.

“Starting today, Google can save you the digging for information in the dozens of apps you use every day, and get you right where you need to go in those apps with a single search. Google Search can make your life a little easier by fetching the answer you need for you — whether it’s on the web, or buried in an app. “

Apps currently supporting the new search feature include: AllTrails, Allthecooks, Beautylish, Etsy, Expedia, Flixster, Healthtap, IMDb, Moviefone, Newegg, OpenTable, Trulia, and Wikipedia. Developers interested in having their app indexed in Google search results can sign up here.