The days of downloading, or heading to the Ookla app or website could be numbered if a new search tool from Google comes into effect. According to a limited test, Google’s Measurment labs is testing out a speed test in search results.
The test was discovered by ‘Marketing Scientist’ at moz.com, Dr. Pete Meyers, who tweeted a picture of the tool which also linked to a Google support page outlining the feature.
Looks like Google is testing their own internet speed test (query = "check internet speed") – not seeing it live — pic.twitter.com/wjsPIlEbFv
— Dr. Pete Meyers (@dr_pete) June 27, 2016
The tool is, or at least will be when it goes live, powered by Measurement Lab (M-Lab), a consortium of research, industry and public-interest partners who are looking to provide ‘an open, verifiable measurement platform for global network performance’. As part of the test, Google will share your IP address with M-Lab, but Google assures us that ‘no other personal information is shared’. M-Lab then uses your result and IP address to ‘advance Internet research’.
Google has been interested in network performance speeds for some time, introducing a Video Quality Report for YouTube to show the results of streaming video service in your area, using your ISP. Microsoft’s Bing is for once ahead of Google on this feature, introducing an internet speed test in their search results earlier this year.
Keep your eye out for this one, with the NBN slowly rolling out in Australia one of the first things I did with my connection was to test my speed and having a convenient tool to do it with in Google search would be appreciated.
