At the Google I/O conference last week, the search giant announced Now on Tap, which makes it easy for users to access Google Now without interrupting what they’re doing. 

Aparna Chennapragada, a director of product management at Google, explained on the Inside Search blog:

With “Now on tap,” you can simply tap and hold the home button for assistance without having to leave what you’re doing—whether you’re in an app or on a website.

For example, if a friend emails you about seeing the new movie Tomorrowland, you can invoke Google Now without leaving your app, to quickly see the ratings, watch a trailer, or even buy tickets—then get right back to what you were doing. 

Now on Tap is smart enough to determine what information and services would be most appropriate based on the context of the activity a user is engaged in, and can suggest apps like OpenTable, Yelp and IMDb.

In fact, any app that is participating in Google’s free App Indexing service is available to be surfaced by Now on Tap without app publishers having to take additional action.

App Indexing is not new, but with mobile use continuing to grow and wearables promising a new wave of devices on which consumers will interact with apps, app indexing looks to be an increasingly important part of how companies ensure their online offerings are found. 

As entrepreneur and consultant Neil Patel observed in a post on Search Engine Land:

We are moving towards a bigger mobile universe, an expansion of indexation potential, and a greater need to optimize mobile in every way possible.

Now on Tap is the perfect demonstration of this and serves as a reminder that companies that pay attention and take advantage of new indexing opportunities will find themselves best positioned to capitalize as Google and other search engines move into new territory.