Google Now widget comes to search app for Android 4.1

Rumors that Google Now would come to the core search app for Android were true: An update to the Google Search app today brings Google's popular predictive search technology to users' home and lock screens.

To use the feature, your phone must have Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) or above. Now it tries to anticipate users' queries by automatically showing weather, sports scores, calendar appointments, and other information without the user having to search for them. 

Other features in the updated app, per the changelog:

• Movie passes from Fandango
• Movies now include ratings from Rotten Tomatoes
• Real estate listings from Zillow when in the market for a home
• Music button when a song is playing in voice mode (U.S. only)
• Support for U.S. college sports

"When Google Now first launched last summer, we promised it was just the beginning, and it would continue to get better at delivering you more of the information you need, before you even ask," the company said in a blog post. "This is the fourth update since launch, and we're just getting started!

Download the updated app here. 

(Via The Verge)

This post was updated at 1:32 p.m. to include comment from Google and a screenshot of the widget.