Google Now Lets You Stream Android Apps From Your Search Results

Google has launched a beta version of Android App Streaming inside of Google search on Wednesday. Just search for something that gets a hit inside of a Google-indexed app, and you will be given the option to “stream” the app right to your phone.

Google says it is using a new cloud-based technology for App Streaming. The streamable android apps run on virtual machines on Google’s cloud platform. The virtual machines do all the processing and send data to your phone over the internet telling it what to display on its screen.

“We’ll be able to show some “app-first” content in Search as well. For example, if you need a hotel for your spur-of-the-moment trip to Chicago, search results will now include results from the HotelTonight app. Or if you’re thinking about visiting Arches National Park, you will now find details about the 18-mile scenic drive from the Chimani app”. Google said in a blog post.

In a blog post, the search giant explained that it started indexing app content two year ago that gave results whether from an app or the Web.

“We now have over 100 billion deep links into apps in our index – including some popular apps like Facebook, Instagram, Airbnb or Pinterest – and 40 percent of searches people do on Android surface app content,” said Jennifer Lin (Engineering Manager) in a blog post.

You can only stream apps over Wi-Fi

Google App Streaming only works when you search using Google’s app on Android. Google App Streaming will not work in Google’s own Chrome web browser in Android. There are only a few apps are available to stream such as Hotel Tonight, Weather, Chimani, Gormey, My Horoscope, Visual Anatomy Free, Useful Knots, Daily Horoscope, and New York Subway.