Google app on iOS catches up to Android

Google app for iPad

The Google app for iPhone and iPads is getting a juicy update today that will help load pages faster.

The search giant announced a major update to the Google app for iOS, bringing Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) along for the ride. AMP works similarly to Facebook's Instant Articles technology as both companies try to speed up web browsing.

Google AMP pages

The feature loads a mobile-optimized version of a web page that strips out superfluous elements. The page still loads ads to ensure sites make money, but restricts the interactivity of pages by limiting the use of JavaScript. The resulting pages are tailored for reading on a small screen.

Beyond AMP, the app promises faster loading, though Google even admits users may not notice the slight speed bump.

Lastly, the Google app update on iOS brings sports highlights to Google Now, the company's intelligent mobile assistant. You'll be able to watch game lights directly from Google Now cards instead of having to navigate to a site to load the video.

Today's update brings iPhone and iPad users up to speed with some of Android's features, a reason to rejoice if you're on Apple's platform.

Google has been working hard to bring its apps and services to its own Android platform and as well as iOS. The company announced its artificially intelligent chat app, Allo, and video call app, Duo, are coming to Android and iOS at the same time.

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Lewis Leong
Lewis Leong is a freelance writer for TechRadar. He has an unhealthy obsession with headphones and can identify cars simply by listening to their exhaust notes.