Coinbase entered into a partnership with Google to launch special app through Google Now providing on-demand information in the form of cards.
Coinbase, a bitcoin services provider based in San Francisco, has partnered with Google to enable users of Google Now app to receive gift cards. Currently, the service is working only with Android devices.
Google Now is an intelligent personal assistant available within the Google Search mobile application. It is available for most mobile operating systems that enable users to check all kinds of information, including weather, navigation and places to visit.
The information is based on the users’ search habits. The service recognizes repeated actions that a user performs on the device, including common locations and search queries, to show more relevant information in the form of “cards”.
“Beginning next week, some users of the Google app on Android will be able to receive Now cards from Coinbase. These notifications, which will appear as a Now card on your device, will provide you with timely updates, like bitcoin price changes, the delivery of bitcoin to your Coinbase wallet, and other transaction information. The functionality will be rolling out to all Android users over the next few weeks,” Coinbase wrote in its blog.
By far, Google Now is one of the best features Google developed for Android devices. Last year, Google Finance integrated bitcoin with its search engine and added it to its price list.
Google Now supports 40 apps, such as Pandora, Airbnb, Lyft, Waze, Ebay, The Guardian, Ford and others. The integration with The Guardian app allows Google Now users to see new articles displayed as cards, while the Pandora app sends recommendations on which music to listen. The users of Airbnb app will receive cards showing various options of places to stay in locations they have already been searching for.
The Coinbase app will inform users on the bitcoin price changes according to Coinbase exchange. Besides, the users will remain up-to-date with the latest transaction information, including transfers of digital currency to the Coinbase wallet.
Although it is still to be seen how the integration will work, it is a major milestone for Google Now and the concept behind the service. There are also question of how much of personal data the app is using. In addition to having an access to the information across its services, Google is monitoring third-party info on its users too.
Google Now, which has a huge number of users, will help to promote bitcoin as well as Coinbase. Moreover, the growing interest in cryptocurrency will encourage new companies and users to utilize bitcoin.
Polina is an undergraduate student at Belarusian State Economic University (BSEU) where she is studying at the faculty of International Business Communication for a degree specializing in Intercultural Communication. In her spare time she enjoys drawing, music and travelling.