Series 60 phones get Google voice search

Google has released a version of its voice search application for users of Symbian Series 60 handsets.

Series 60 is mostly used in Nokia smartphones such as the E71 but also in some handsets from other manufacturers such as Sony Ericsson. Based on Symbian, it is one of the most popular smartphone platforms in the world.

On Monday, Google software engineer Elke Michlmayr wrote that many Series 60 handsets that do not have Qwerty keypads would benefit from having the free location-aware app.

"The new version of Google Mobile App places a shortcut to Google search on your Nokia phone's home screen, allowing you to search using your voice or by typing," Michlmayr wrote. "You can search for anything — from 'movie times', to 'fish 'n chips', to 'masala dosa'. It doesn't matter if you're in London or Bangalore: we'll use your location to give you nearby results."

The new Google Mobile App also recognises Mandarin Chinese for the first time — Series 60 users will be the first to benefit from this addition, although Android and iPhone users may also get this functionality in time.

Michlmayr also noted that the app would only work, for now, on handsets running S60 3rd Edition — so, not for users of the Nokia N97 or Sony Ericsson Satio, both of which use the 5th edition of S60.