Google Updates iPad Search Experience - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Google Updates iPad Search Experience

by

google ipad search jul11
Google today announced that it is rolling out several enhancements to the google.com search experience on the iPad and other tablets, simplifying page layouts and increasing the size of objects on the page to make for more prominent touch targets.

The search button located below the search box provides quick access to specific types of results like Images, Videos, Places, Shopping and more. Just tap to open the search menu and select an option to see results in one category.

For image results, we focused on improvements that enhance the viewing experience such as enlarged image previews, continuous scroll, and faster loading of image thumbnails.

Google has deployed enhancements and new features for the iPad on a frequent basis since the device's introduction, but of course is now also putting a priority on tablets running its own Android operating system. The new search features will be making their way to both platforms across 36 languages in the coming days.

Top Rated Comments

195 months ago
the new code in the url says

p&sclient=tablet-gws&tbo=d&site

where as on a computer it says

p&sclient=psy&site

just another way of google tracking us
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
195 months ago
This looks nice—but PLEASE fix Google image search on iPhones! The UI doesn’t quite fit the screen, so you sometimes end up swiping to nudge it up or down. And those scroll-swipes are registered as clicks, taking you to one of the images! Ugh.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
194 months ago
Google tablet search is garbage.
Yes, it's useless now. I assume they tested it only on very low resolution screens or something, there is so much wasted space on an iPad screen.

I've had to switch to another search engine, for the first time in about a decade!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spanky Deluxe Avatar
195 months ago
I'm not such a fan of this redesign. It only displays a few results on the screen now, there's a hell of a lot of wasted space.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
195 months ago

But without going more off-topic, I like this development, with Google reaching out to competitors like iPad. Although I don't doubt this is a rather "timely" refresh for Google's attempt to push Android tablets this fall. And who am I to blame them for trying to compete, if it benefits others too. :)


Google doesn't really care what operating system your tablet, PC, or smart phone runs. All they care about is that you use their services and generate ad revenue. Android isn't about selling mobile phones for Google, they give it away and/or pay the carriers and phone manufacturers to use the OS to generate more people using their services. All of this leads to $$$$$$ from ads.

Google will support things like this for iOS as long as it is a relevant player in the mobile operating system market.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
194 months ago
The post above is quite revealing. The new Google search makes an effort to put manipulated picks ahead anything else. That is the way Google planned it and that's the way they implemented it.

As a result, it simultaneously made itself useless in tablets.

I made a mental jump and switched to Bing. It is easy, a true iPad experience. Open your Google, search for a Bing (or Yahoo), jump to the page and iPad will ask, if you want to set it as a default.

I was surprised, that there were still good alternatives to Google. I'm actually happy that they went for something like this before it would have been too late. The same stategy - "search ads experience", is more and more probable in desktops, I'm afraid.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple Acquires Award Winning App Play Feature

Apple Acquires Award-Winning App 'Play'

Monday June 29, 2026 7:39 am PDT by
In February, Apple notified the European Commission that it would be acquiring certain assets from and have the right to hire certain employees from Rabbit 3 Times, the company behind the award-winning app design tool Play. The notification was published on the European Commission's website this week, following a four-month waiting period. Play was a Mac and iPhone app that allowed designers ...
iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Feature

Apple 'Concerned' Over iPhone 18 Pro Data Leak From Supplier Tata

Monday June 29, 2026 11:46 am PDT by
Apple is "concerned" about a recent data leak from Tata Electronics, one of its manufacturing partners in India, reports Reuters. Tata Electronics was the target of a cyberattack, with confidential Apple documents stolen and shared on the dark web. Hackers were able to steal information about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, including a list of suppliers, parts, and images of the...
iphone 17 ceramic shield

2027 iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e to Get 9GB RAM and A20 Chip

Friday June 26, 2026 9:57 am PDT by
The lower-end iPhone 18 models set to launch in spring 2027 will feature 9GB DRAM, up from 8GB, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo says the A20 chip Apple plans to use for the devices will have 1.5GB x 6 dies for a total of 9GB RAM, instead of 2GB x 4 dies as the current lower-end iPhone 17 models use. By lower-end iPhones, Kuo is likely referencing the iPhone 18 and the iPhone...