"Searching" for something on the internet no longer has the meaning it once did. Not in its main exception at least. Today, when we look for content on the net, we do it for many reasons: information, in-depth articles, products, services, places and activities nearby or to be discovered.
According to a recent Semrush study, web search traffic increased 22% in 2020 from the previous year, for the 1,000 most visited websites in the world. 66% of all visits to those sites came from mobile devices. It is clear that the modes are increasingly moving to smartphones, or in any case they are gaining a lot of ground compared to just using it from a desktop or notebook computer.
Moreover, today with our smartphone we do everything. What is missing, and which is lacking, is a unique service, simple to use, which allows you to find what you want in a single app in a short time, without going through specific services but relying everything on a single platform. And this is where Huawei comes with Petal Search.
A bit of history
Huawei launched Petal Search in October 2020. From the perspective of the company's ecosystem, it is the foundation on which to rest a series of mobile-centric features. Evidently, the facts related to the US ban have accelerated the development of the Huawei ecosystem, on which the group was already working, with the aim of providing its users with a wide range of services capable of satisfying any need. Simultaneously with Petal Search, it is no coincidence that the Shenzen giant has launched the various Petal Maps and the Docs suite, not so much to replicate what was there before but to give consumers a wide range of access, creation and sharing opportunities. of documents through solutions that are not at all "alternative" but independent and fully integrated into the new world of Huawei.
In particular, Petal Maps is Huawei's map and navigator service that allows users to explore the world around them in new ways. Available in over 140 countries and regions, it allows you to get your current location, navigate the map, search for places and add favorites, also view traffic conditions, events, weather conditions and more in real time.
Petal Search: what it is
Petal Search is an advanced engine that supports text, voice and visual searches. It contains all the information and news that the user may need as well as images, music, shopping, apps and much more. At the base are the visual and voice search technologies implemented by Huawei, which allow you to explore what is around with ease. Just say a word, frame what you are looking for, without having to type in the search bar and you will immediately have the desired results. In the “Petal” tab, it is possible to group the information of greatest interest, such as weather, calendar, notepad and much more, to be able to access it more quickly.
Precisely from a web search perspective, the "Recent" tab provides quick access to the search history, avoiding having to type the same question over and over again in the search bar. You can go back to previous results easily, even after doing a lot of different searches. The Nearby function ("Near you") allows you to easily search for places and businesses in the surrounding area through a traditional text search or through the icons located under the bar, with which to locate businesses by categories (such as restaurants, bars, tourist or commercial attractions ). Petal Search will then indicate the most useful and relevant information about the place in question, including address and contact information.
"Today Petal Search is able to 100% cover all the needs that a user may have when performing a search (on a par with other search systems on the market). The goal is to offer the best possible experience, making sure that the user experience is as easy and immediate as possible (through all the various functions already described - voice / image search - Recent tab, Nearby, etc). Petal Search has a great plus which is to offer a series of discounts and exclusive advantages (see Shopping Area, NearBy and Travel) thanks to the large number of partners who work with us "the company explains.
Local system partners
Most of the Android apps today work perfectly on a P40 Pro as well as on a Nova 9, also thanks to the collaboration of local partners, many Italians, who have helped to "adapt" their software to the environment in use, which is it's a stock Android rather than HarmonyOS, the pinnacle of the company's mobile research and development. "We launched Petal Search with the idea of bringing more alternatives, new features and some innovations than the way we are used to looking today," the company tells us.
"From the beginning, Petal Search has been a comprehensive and comprehensive search engine thanks to which the user can find everything they want and need. Thanks to Huawei's experience in the sector, we can constantly update the service by adding new features such as "intelligent search", to offer users instant solutions for translations, information on points of interest, shopping products and much more; all via voice or visual searches using the camera of their smartphone ".
Petal Search tomorrow: goals and new developments
Petal Search was launched simultaneously in 170 countries. Over time, Huawei's Business Development teams have turned to e-commerce companies, food & drinks, global travel operators, news publishers and other types of local services, to reach a mountain of over 800 partners already fully integrated with Petal Search, which contribute to the optimization of search results.
"Many of the companies that collaborate with us are pan-European with an important user base in Italy, such as Groupon, Zooplus, Nike, Guess, TheFork and many others. To date, our team is focused on several areas of development. The first is to keep working on the interface in order to optimize the user experience but also to improve recommendations when searching or browsing ".
"We also want to add multimodal scenarios (with camera, voice) for an increasingly advanced search and insert new devices (smartwatches, connected vehicles) to those currently available. Our goal is also to continue collaborations both at local and European level, to bringing new partners on board and constantly increasing the offer within the Petal Search ecosystem ".