After much speculation about why Apple did not post the new version of the Google Mobile App for iPhone that lets users search via voice and location on its Web site, the app has finally passed muster late Monday.
Google said you may now download it for free here from the Google Mobile site, or you can download the app from the iPhone App Store by searching for “Google Mobile App.”
Considering Apple stalled and made such a fiasco about launching this after Google pre-announced it Friday, why would anyone go to Apple to “search” for it instead of going to Google for the download?
Well, the issue is for another blog post another day, but this failure to launch to feed app-hungry consumers underscores why Apple should never run a search engine or anything that requires instant gratification for consumers.
Leave that to Google, which in the new Google Mobile App for iPhone has made a great breakthrough and a great app for the 13 million-plus iPhone users.
The voice search feature uses speech recognition technology to transform spoken words into text and then runs the query through Google Web search as if it had been typed manually. Voice search also detects the phone’s movement and activates when you want to do a search, so that you can put the phone to your ear and speak your search into the phone.
Don’t feel like downloading it without seeing it in action? Watch this brief video of Googlers using the voice search feature here or see the product overview video, which has already made the rounds since Friday, here.
Google wouldn’t comment about why the app was delayed. A source familiar with Apple told me at Google “there’s always a little bit of uncertainty” when it comes to Apple’s app store.
Forget about the fact that Google submitted the app early last week and expected it to be approved and posted by Friday. Apple clearly doesn’t care about partner Google or consumers.
Or maybe there was a technical glitch that prevented Apple from posting it. I don’t know because they haven’t responded to my query for more information.