Google's iOS app for the iPhone and iPad just got a real boost thanks to the company's Accelerated Mobile Pages Project, otherwise known as AMP. With the updated app, Apple users can load mobile pages at lightning speed.
AMP was created to eliminate software codes, which build up in publishing websites over the years. Accumulated software codes come from tracking cookies and software features, which can bog down news articles and slow down the loading speed. AMP standardizes the software code of news articles, effectively speeding up the loading speed.
To use the feature, all iOS users have to do is click on the "AMP" icon, instructs Techno Buffalo. The icon can usually be found right after the headline of the article. Besides amping up the loading speed, AMP also showcases video highlights in Google Now.
Unfortunately, not all mobile pages benefit from the project. Certain streamlined websites, like "The Washington Post," have access to AMP because they were involved in Google's web project, explains Fortune.
The site adds that the online publishers that have access to AMP will likely see their Google ranking raised. Meanwhile, the publications that decided not to participate in the AMP Project may see their rankings falls, since Google usually rewards publishers whose sites load fast.
The company's Product Manager, Rudy Galfi explains ranking based on speed in the following statement: "The way we think about it is, speed is one of those critical ranking factors, not the only one that you need, and AMP says to us, basically, 'I'm consistently fast.'"
In addition, Google is working on another project to speed up loading time, called Progressive Web App. PWA delves deeper into coding than AMP as it standardizes the codes for an entire publishing website.
No information has been released about PWA's launch date so far. However, AMP is now available on iTunes.
