Beginning Monday, the technology behemoth will respond to search queries by including a map accompanied by pertinent local results. Till now, Google provides the local search results when specifically asked to do so. Henceforth, the result listing will have local search results by default.
Google software engineers Jenn Taylor and Jim Muller said in a blog post, “We like to make search as easy as we can, so we've just finished the worldwide rollout of local search results on a map, which will now appear even when you don't type in a location. When you search on Google, we will guess where you are and show results near you."
Google, as also other Web services, use the IP address geolocation to identify the users' location. The method gives pretty accurate results unless, of course, a proxy is put in place specifically to obscure the location data.
The Mountain View, California based Google will provide a 'Change location' link on the top right corner, just on top of the map to enable the user to mention his likely location.
The official blog of the company said, “We try to make our guesses as good as they can be so that whether you're shopping for groceries, sporting goods or flowers, or looking for your bank, your gym, or the post office, you can just say what you want, and we'll try to find it right where you are. You can also search for specific stores or street addresses near you."
This looks a good value proposition. However, there is a concern. It is likely that some people would be ill at ease if Google, or for that matter Yahoo or Microsoft, could locate their position.
Greg Sterling of Sterling Market Intelligence put all such apprehensions to rest. He said, "Google wouldn't be doing this unless it was confident that it was right about what people want."
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