Google has unveiled an upgrade to the way it interprets users' search requests.
The new algorithm, codenamed Hummingbird, is the first major upgrade for three years.
It has already been in use for about a month, and affects about 90% of Google searches.
At a presentation on Thursday, the search giant was short on specifics
but said Hummingbird is especially useful for longer and more complex
queries.
Google stressed that a new algorithm is important as users expect more
natural and conversational interactions with a search engine - for
example, using their voice to speak requests into mobile phones, smart
watches and other wearable technology.
Hummingbird is focused more on ranking information based on a more
intelligent understanding of search requests, unlike its predecessor,
Caffeine, which was targeted at better indexing of websites.
It is more capable of understanding concepts and the relationships
between them rather than simply words, which leads to more fluid
interactions. In that sense, it is an extension of Google's "Knowledge
Graph" concept introduced last year aimed at making interactions more
human.
In one example, shown at the presentation, a Google executive showed off
a voice search through her mobile phone, asking for pictures of the
Eiffel Tower. After the pictures appeared, she then asked how tall it
was. After Google correctly spoke back the correct answer, she then
asked "show me pictures of the construction" - at which point a list of
images appeared.
Big payoffs?
However, one search expert cautioned that it was too early to determine
Hummingbird's impact. "For me this is more of a coming out party, rather
than making me think 'wow', said Danny Sullivan, founder of Search
Engine Land.
"If you've been watching this space, you'd have already seen how they've
integrated it into the [predictive search app] Google Now and
conversational search.
"To know that they've put this technology further into their index may
have some big payoffs but we'll just have to see how it plays out," Mr
Sullivan said.
The news was announced at an intimate press event at the Silicon Valley
garage where founders Sergei Brin and Larry Page worked on the launch of
the search engine, which is fifteen years old on Friday.
At the event, the search behemoth also announced an updated search app
on Apple's iOS, as well as a more visible presence for voice search on
its home page.
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