A new Google app is now available for Windows PCs, bringing an intuitive search feature that allows users to type what they are looking for without first opening a web browser. The app is part of the company’s experimental Search Labs program and is available to a limited group of users in the U.S. It is designed to provide a “Spotlight-like experience,” similar to what Apple offers on Mac, by searching local files, apps, Google Drive, and the web from one central location.
Users can quickly summon the app by pressing its default shortcut, Alt+Space, regardless of what program they are currently using. The feature is also intuitive, utilizing Google’s “Knowledge Graph” to help users find what they are looking for without needing to type the full query. Alternatively, users may set their own preferred shortcut to pull up the search app.
Challenges to Microsoft’s Built-In Search
This new Google app directly challenges Microsoft’s built-in Windows search feature. According to reports, even in its experimental stage, the Google app provides a more robust and powerful search capability than what Windows currently offers, which is often described as “laggy” and “crummy.”
To try the new feature, users must join the Search Labs Experiment program and use a personal Google account for the app. The app is currently only available to users in the United States and in English.
Expanding the Future of Search
While search has traditionally been a single-function product, Google has been expanding its capabilities, especially with the integration of AI. Earlier this year, Google unveiled its “AI Mode,” a “game-changer” that completely transforms the search experience by offering a fully AI-generated write-up instead of a mix of traditional and AI-generated content.
Google has also introduced “Web Guide,” an AI-powered feature that organizes web search results into specific categories for easier discovery. This move, along with the new Windows app, demonstrates Google’s continued effort to innovate and expand its presence across the digital ecosystem.
Author’s Opinion
This new Google app is more than just a search tool—it’s Google’s direct move to insert itself at the very heart of the Windows operating system. By doing so, it challenges Microsoft’s control over the user experience and represents a key front in the ongoing battle between tech giants for user engagement and data. This is a strategic move by Google to circumvent the web browser and make itself the default entry point for information, which could have significant long-term implications for both companies and the future of how users interact with their computers.
Featured image credit: Adarsh Chauhan via Unsplash
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