As of now, the new feature is only available for iOS users in the US with no word on global rollout.
Google is updating the iOS version of its Search app and the biggest update is the new ‘Events’ feature. The app now aggregates local events from event based sites and presents it to the user in a card form. Suppose a user hunts for “Art events this weekend,” Google presents a list of all art events in the region on that weekend in the form of a card.
The user can tap a particular card to expand and view more details like the time, venue and a brief description of the same. If further interested, tapping the event will take the user to the main event page on the host site or app (if installed).
“Hear about an amazing event but can’t remember where to buy the tickets? Have trouble finding the right activity to do with your sister who has two toddlers? Looking for something fun to do nearby tonight? Now Google can help. Today on the Google app and mobile web in the U.S., doing a search for events brings up a clear summary of activities from sites from across the web like Eventbrite, Meetup and more, that might be just what you’re looking for,” Google said in a blog post. ALSO READ: Online gaming industry in India to hit $1 billion by 2021: Google-KPMG report
The new cards also come with filter options so users can get specific results. The events shown will be location based. So even if the user does not key in the exact location, searching for something as generic as ‘events near me’ will show up a list of popular events in that particular region. Google has tied up with most popular event aggregator sites and apps like Meetup and EventBrite for the new feature.
The new feature is not restricted to only the event app aggregators, event creators can populate the events card with their events by using the developer guidelines. The new feature is restricted to iOS devices and will roll out only in the US presently. There is no word on when Google plans to bring the feature to Android or roll it out in other regions.