People ask questions when they don't know the answer to something they have in their minds. When deciding to travel, people also ask themselves questions before making a decision.
This is where Google sees an opportunity to introduce something new.
Google is making people able to ask questions and get answers they need, and also answer other people's questions about places on Google Maps for Android and mobile Search.
When viewing a Maps page for a business or landmark, users will see the "Question & answers" section that shows questions people have asked about the place.
If the user wants to ask questions, he/she will be notified if the owner of the page, or anyone else for that matter, answers the questions.
Users can also upvote helpful questions, which will appear further up the page.
Google Maps and Search are two of the most popular Google services. However, they are kind of dull in terms of socializing. While people can use the service for free at anytime, there is less to no interaction between users.
With Google introducing Q&A feature to the two, the search giant is simply making itself more social. As an added benefit, both Google and its users can also have a more updated information about places.
But since Q&A can be anything that is helpful or deceiving, Google wants to make the "Questions & answers" section to contain the most accurate and useful local information as possible.
For that reason, business owners can also add their own answered questions to provide more updated information and more potential viewers.
Meanwhile, Google is also trying to make itself more accessible for users around the world who aren't using high-speed internet. The company is currently testing a pared-down version of its Search app that uses less data and works better on slower connections. At the moment of introduction, the Search Lite app is only available for users in Indonesia.
