Search engine Google says it has introduced in Nigeria a feature which makes surfing the internet on Android phones quicker, easier and more affordable.
Mr Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Anglophone West Africa, said that with the new feature, accessing web pages would become three times faster, using 80 per cent less data.
Kola-Ogunlade said in a statement on Thursday that the feature, newly introduced to Nigeria, was already available in Indonesia, India and Brazil.
“Forty per cent of Android users experience slow connection while on the web and this low connection can be attributed to the usage of low RAM devices.
“Presently in Africa, web pages that you access from Google’s search results page with a low RAM device via the Google App, Chrome or Android browser, would be optimised to load faster and use less data.
“Analyses showed that these optimised pages load three times faster and use 80 per cent less data.
“When it comes to searching, faster is always better.
“Whether you are commuting to work, searching for the latest sports news; or for the phone number of a nearby restaurant, quick access to information from the web is crucial,’’ said the Google spokesman.
The Google manager said that in Africa, nearly 40 per cent of people with Android devices may be experiencing slow or delayed connection while they are on the web due to usage of low RAM devices.
He said that Google hoped that the new feature would help in getting needed information quicker, easier and more affordably.
“Traffic to webpages from Google search increased by up to 40 per cent, and if one preferred to see the original page, one could choose that option at the top of their page.
“We hope this feature can help improve the search experience for millions of people where network connections are slow and access to devices is limited,’’ Kola-Ogunlade said. (NAN)
