TechJunction

Google on Wednesday announced the release of a new interface to enable iPhone users to navigate Google’s various services through a unified interface.

When iPhone users visit the Google site using the Safari browser on their iPhone, they’ll find a navigation bar that lets them switch between Google Search, Gmail, Calendar, Reader and other services.

Google says they’re using browser technologies like Asynchronous Javascript and XML (AJAX) to accomplish the feat. iPhone users are redirected to a different URL —http://www.google.com/m—when they first visit the site. Users can opt for the new interface or for the “classic” view using a hyperlink on the home page.

Now, if you go to Google’s home page on your iPhone you’ll see the Web search box and links to Gmail, Calendar and Reader up at the top of the screen for quick access.

Google also offers word suggestions as you type to make the query entry faster.

And once you click on links, the pages download faster than before. “When you click it’s instantaneous,” says Gummi Hafsteinsson, a senior product manager at Google. “Just like on the desktop; there’s no difference between the two.”

Google plans to optimize its applications for other phones eventually, he said.

Links to Google Maps and YouTube are on the main menu of the iPhone.

Another recent example of such technology came last week when Google introduced a new version of Google Maps that included a function dubbed My Location. The mobile feature shows handheld users their location directly on the map without the need for GPS hardware.