Google is improving its mobile search for iOS users

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Here’s an overview of the updates Google announced on Monday:

Google Search app for iPhone and iPad now includes an iMessage extension.
This means that iPhone and iPad users can Google Search from within iMessage, and then quickly add their search results to their iMessage conversations to share with others. There’s also a GIF button for quickly searching for GIFs to share. The new extension makes it easier to share Google Search results via iMessage.
Improved search integration with Safari on iOS.
In September 2017, Google
a new feature in the Google app that generates suggestions for related content when a user comes to the end of a webpage. Google is now extending that functionality to any browser on the iPhone, including Safari.
This reduces the need to type a new query into the search box.
Support for drag and drop on the iPad.
Users on iOS 11 can drag and drop to effortlessly move text, images, and links to and from the Google app.
For example, a simple tap and hold on an article will now allow a user to drag the link into other apps like iMessage or Notes.

A focus on enhancing the mobile search experience for iOS users is important for two key reasons:

Mobile is the most used medium for searches.
Google
that more than half of all web searches are on mobile, mostly through micro-moments, or when individuals reflexively turn to a device to act on a need to learn something, do something, or discover something. By incorporating Google Search into iMessage, Google can satisfy the immediate need of consumers to share information when chatting with friends.
Mobile search is the main driver of Google's advertising business.
While Google doesn't break out mobile as a percentage of its total revenue, Google’s CFO Ruth Porat mentioned that the channel was largely responsible for
the 24% YoY growth
in total revenue
it reported for Q4 2017. And despite being limited to mobile web searches, Apple users account for
half of Google’s mobile search revenue.