Google"s image search product, Google Images, has today received one of its biggest makeovers since the tool launched in 2001.
Major features of the update include a new tiled layout which will see the removal of all text from below the images on the search results page, instant scrolling between pages with no load time in between and bigger thumbnails, which Google says have been designed for "modern browsers and high-res screens".
"We’re [Google] rolling out an update to Google Images to match the scope and beauty of this fast-growing visual web, and to bring to the surface some of the powerful technology behind Images," Nate Smith, a Google Images Product Manager wrote today.
"We [Google] hope they not only make it easier to search for images, but also contribute to a better aesthetic experience. We see images as a major source of inspiration, a way of connecting the world—and their growth is showing no signs of slowing down."
Other additions include a new window -- which will appear when you hover over an image -- showing a bigger version of the graphic and providing additional information and related images, a new landing page which shows the image on the original website and new, optimized keyboard shortcuts for browsing search results.
And in a bid to expand its offerings for advertisers, Google have confirmed a new advertising format -- which they"re calling "Image Search Ads" -- will soon be available that will allow advertisers to place a thumbnail image next to their text-based ad on Image search results. While they"ll only show on Image results at the moment, Google isn"t ruling out the future possibility of expanding it to text searches and other Google products.
The re-designed Google Images is rolling out to "most" countries during the next few days, with 10% of all United States users already able to see and use it.