The Google Search app for Android was updated today. While Google's official post about the new version mentioned some updated cards and traffic incidents, the real news is that voice search can now hold a conversation.
When you don't provide enough information for a command, Google will now verbally ask for clarification. You can give it an open-ended command like "send a text message" and Google will ask who you want to send the message to. You can then say a name and it will ask what the message should be. When Google has all the info it needs, it will ask if you're ready to send the message. It's all very Siri-like.
Google Search doesn't read the message back before asking if you want to send it, so it's not totally hands-free yet—but it's getting there. Verbally asking for clarification and helping the user along step-by-step through the voice command process was the last big thing Siri did better than Google's voice interface. Before this update, "send a text message" would just open the texting app. The new voice functionality is available in Google Search 3.1 for Android, which is rolling out to users now. It's safe to assume that it will end up in the Google Search app for the iPhone soon, too.
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