Google’s Mobile “Quick View” Trial Appears To Be Over

Google appears to have quietly put an end to a long-running trial that added a “quick view” option next to mobile (smartphone only) search results from select websites.

The feature offered searchers a fast way to see a lightweight version of a webpage without having to fully click through and load the page.

We first reported on the test last December, and then Google formally announced it in April. At the same time, Google offered a Web form where site owners could indicate their interest in having their sites considered for the Quick View feature.

Google offered a smartphone search for the phrase “poker hands” as an example that showed a Wikipedia page with the blue Quick View button. That same search today on an iPhone doesn’t include the Quick View option. Here’s a then (on the left) and now (on the right) look at that search query.

TechCrunch noticed the button was gone on Friday. A Google spokesperson declined to confirm for us (and TechCrunch) that the trial was officially over, only saying that the company is always changing things in the interest of improving the mobile search experience.

Mobile search is clearly becoming a bigger priority for Google. It just announced last week that pages that don’t serve mobile searchers well will not rank as highly in mobile search results.