Quixey develops new tool that searches through applications to find what the user needs

WASHINGTON: A new kind of search engine can look inside apps on your smartphone to find what you need.

A US-based company called Quixey is developing the search engine that can take in queries such as 'Best Thai restaurants in San Francisco' and produce a list of results that take you to the relevant screen or function inside an app.

A prototype of the search engine focuses on searching for places to eat and drink.

When asked to find a particular kind of cuisine, it shows the highest-rated places nearby from review apps. It can also show links to apps that make reservations and check availability.

The engine can also offer results from apps not installed on a device, 'MIT Technology Review' reported.

Liron Shapira, a co-founder of the company said it does not make sense for people to hunt through a clutter of icons to find the app they need and to have to memorise how to navigate inside each one.

"A search bar is the better way to use third party apps - and the Quixey vision is to put that search bar on every device," Shapira said.