CALIFORNIA,USA: Google on Thursday announced Gesture Search, which allows users to search through files on their Google Android smartphones by tracing a letter like "A" or "H" on their screen.

The application, which theoretically learns from the user’s search history to improve overall search quality, is available for devices running Android 2.0 or higher, which limits the number of Android-equipped smartphones that have access to it. Google has been expanding the number of applications available for its smartphone operating system in a bid to increase its market share in the mobile space, a eweekly report said.

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According to the report, Google is unveiling Gesture Search, which allows users to search through their Google Android smartphones via tracing a letter on the screen. The application represents yet another variant on mobile search, which has become a more active field of endeavor for companies such as Google, Microsoft and Apple as smartphones proliferate among both businesses and consumers.

Gesture Search, announced March 3, can only be used on devices running Android 2.0 or higher, which restricts the number of devices that have access to it. Google’s own branded phone, the Nexus One, relies on Android 2.1, and similarly versioned devices from HTC and other manufacturers are expected to enter the ecosystem throughout 2010. The bricklike Motorola Droid will also reportedly be upgraded to Android 2.1 at some point in the near future.

The application allows users to search for contacts, applications, bookmarks, songs and other items, according to reports.

(Source: EWeekly)