Google updates Search app for iPad, proves it can make decent iOS apps

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Google has released a new version of its all-in-one search app for the iPad that maximizes the tablet's larger screen. The new app features quick shortcuts and a tabbed interface not unlike that seen in the Chrome browser on the desktop, and it has improved search results with dual-pane views.

According to Google, searching the web with the app is now faster and easier than before, thanks to the integration of Google Instant into the search function. Once a web page is selected from the search, a new slide-in pane will layer over the search results, allowing the user to continue to browse the search results while the selected page loads. Search results also now feature instant previews, so users can see the webpage before it is loaded. Additionally, the image result viewer has been improved, with a new carousel for results that users can swipe through.

Google has also added a new visual history feature that makes it easy to browse through past searches and sites visited. The visual history can be accessed with a swipe from left to right on the search page, and it displays snapshots of the pages that were visited for each search completed.

There are also new tools for making search easier on the tablet, including a "find on page" feature and an integrated Google +1 button. The main screen offers quick shortcuts to a number of Google services, including Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and Voice.

The new Google Search app for the iPad is free and available in the iTunes App Store now. The iPhone version has received minor bug fixes and a new full-screen mode for search results. What might be the most remarkable thing about the new Google Search for iPad is how much better it is than the Gmail app for iOS, proving that Google actually is capable of making a decent app for the iOS platform. [via Google]