Google Instant rolls out in Australia

Google's instant search function, which displays results as users type their search term, began rolling out in Australia today.

The feature, which was first announced in September, uses the existing search suggestion feature and provides auto-corrected suggestions in grey in the search bar. Without hitting enter, users are provided with instant search results based on what they've already typed in.

A Google search on Communications Minister Stephen Conroy using Google Instant. (Screenshot by Josh Taylor/ZDNet Australia)

Instant was available to Google users in the United States at the time of launch, but the company waited a number of weeks to begin implementing the function in localised domains such as Google.com.au and Google.co.nz. The company today confirmed that Australians should be able to use the feature in the next few days.

"Google Instant is rolling out now on the Australia domain and will be available to all signed-in users in the next couple of days," Google told ZDNet Australia in a statement today.

In a blog post by the company's product manager Jonathan Effrat announcing the Australian roll-out, Effrat said the feature had already begun to change the way people were using Google in the areas it was available.

"In just two weeks, we saw an increase in the fraction of searches performed without hitting enter or clicking search," he said. "We've seen about a 7 per cent increase in on-the-fly editing of search queries. Instant isn't just about time savings, it's also a new, more fluid way to search."

Prior to today, keen Australians were only able to access the Instant search function by visiting Google.com directly instead of Google.com.au.

(Front page image credit: Google Lego 50th anniversary inspiration image by Antonio Manfredonio, CC BY-SA 2.0)