Android users get less-capable Google voice search

A correction has been made to this story. See below for details.

As mentioned in an earlier post about the upcoming firmware update for T-Mobile's G1, the built-in Google search tool is getting voice-powered search. Like Google's rule-breaking, first-party iPhone search application, users can simply talk into the application to have their queries transcribed into text.

(Credit: Google)

The big difference, however, is that users will need to begin a voice search by tapping the microphone icon instead of simply holding their phone up to their face.

Why is this you ask? The G1 is missing the oh-so-important proximity sensor, which on the iPhone tells the application you're holding it up to your face. Also, the app doesn't make use of the G1's accelerometer, which means it can't fake knowing you're lifting it from palm to head. In the iPhone iteration, the application uses both of these sensors in tandem to do its voice searching magic.

No doubt future Android devices that have either sensor will fall in line with the iPhone's offering, such as the long-rumored G2. Until then G1 users will need to tap first.

Correction: This blog initially misstated why the G1 app does not allow you to just hold the phone up to your face. The T-Mobile G1 does have an accelerometer, but the application does not make use of it.

[Ben Feldman]

The G1 has an accelerometer, but it's not necessarily useful for Voice Search. I believe that Google uses the proximity sensor on the iPhone for both actions -- initiating and completing -- because, in theory, just because the accelerometer detects a certain motion doesn't mean that the person has moved the phone away from their face, whereas the proximity sensor has a better idea of that.

[Josh.Lowensohn]

Yes I was wrong about the accelerometer--thanks for that

[ekeefe41]

The G1 has an accelerometer....
Do you people fact check anything?

[thejokker]

Also, the app doesn't make use of the G1's accelerometer, which means it can't fake knowing you're lifting it from palm to head

----
FTA

[jackdaniels08]

And even if G1 did not have an accelerometer (which it does), what is the big deal of just pushing the microphone button? Too busy driving or something to look at the screen to push the microphone tab? Come on, that's not an excuse. because even if it was accelerometer activated, when the results pop up, you have to look at the screen and most likely click on the site anyway! So if you can do that, why can't you just push the microphone tab button?

[Josh.Lowensohn]

I think the big appeal in the iPhone iteration is that you can simply pull the device towards your face and talk away. With this it's just like Vlingo's app, which is still sexy, but does not take advantage of the hardware so specifically.

[Freiheit13]

Personally I think I would rather be required to purposely activate a feature before my phone starts sending anything I'm saying off to a third party. It's called a security feature.

[rapier1]

I think what is important isn't that the G1 does indeed have an accelerometer but that Google wrote the app without depending on it. Which means that Google believes there will be Android phones that don't make use of one. Thats probably more interesting that that this app doesn't make use of it.

Perhaps you need to update your blog once again to mention how an iphone has to have the APP OPENED BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN USE THE VOICE SEARCH, whereas the g1 has the mic button right there on the home page...it's the same amount of "taps" if you think about it. There's really no advantage one over the other, even though THIS ARTICLE MAKES IT SEEM LIKE THE IPHONE VOICE SEARCH IS BETTER...

When the iphone is unlocked, what you see on the home page is not a search box but an icon that you still have to click...SAME AMOUNT OF CLICKS...

[hackbod]

Well on the iPhone you do need to first go into the Google mobile application and from there it will use the sensor to start recognizing. On Android, you can go directly into voice recognition from any standard search box. Is it really all that different?

[alt117]

so let me get this straight, on the iPhone I have to tap to open the app, lift the phone to my head, and speak to do voice search, but on the less capable G1 version I have to tap the screen, lift the phone to my head, and speak to do voice search?
I don' t recall reading any of your past articles, but if this is the best you can do, it sounds like I haven't missed anything.

[logoutreally]

This Jos guy has provided some information: "iPhone has proximity sensors used with voice search too".

The rest of it, including the title is just to grab attention the unethical way. A true sign of an amateur or failing journalist.

Else it is a sick .. a very sick way to unnecessarily show android on the whole in bad light. Though this is just something to do with the hardware it runs on. Android is much more than G1. Go take a look at the linux kernel beneath. No comparison with iPhone here.

Grow up man.

[walkingdead1]

so what makes it less capable? are the capability's of the app less than the i phones... or does it just have a different interface.

[seven7dust]

rather than comparing this with the Iphone and making excuses
people need to point the finger at HTC
Android is great but HTC messed up the G1

the new Android phones better be a lot better hardwarewise
the absolute most retarted thing is the HTC proprietary connector
the chinned bottom { wat in the world were they thinking }

HTC already has the diamond HD why not use it with Android ?
I think HTC is playing favorites with MS and Win MO !

That's a resistive touchscreen though.. bleh!

[jlg1234]

This article is nothing but pure FUD to try and make people question Android. Go back and have your fun with Steve Jobs Josh and get out of reporting. You obviously are biased to Apple and should not write any more articles.

[walkingdead1]

i still want to know what makes this version less capable than the i phone version.

[Kenshin128]

How is the Android version less-capable? Lets see, for the iPhone I will first need to open up the app and bring it up to your mouth, and for Android G1 I just need to click on the Google Search Widget Mic Icon and bring it up to my month...

[vitriolix]

"less-capable"? It is integrated directly into the search boxes across the entire OS, not just in the one Google Mobile app as on the iPhone. So on the G1, you click the microphone button, raise it to your face and say what you want to search for. On the iPhone you click on the google mobile button, raise it to your face and say what you want to search for. Identical number of clicks.

This is totally disingenuous trolling.

And before you get excited by all the attention your trolling got, know that I'm never going to be checking your sad little blog again.

[pinetreehater]

Moreover, I believe that when you want to do a google voice-activated search on the Iphone, you must close the browser (and loose everything) and go back to the home screen to use the voice search.