Ocado launches voice search Android app

LONDON - Ocado, the online supermarket, is launching its first app for Google's mobile operating system Android, which offers the ability to search for products by voicing the name.

Ocado: new app available on 20 different mobile handsets
Ocado: new app available on 20 different mobile handsets

The app, ‘Ocado on the go', will be available on 20 different mobile handsets including Samsung, Motorola and Google's Nexus One.

Using ‘search by voice' technology, the app will allow shoppers to speak their selections to find a comprehensive list of individual products in that range. Users will be able to shop for more than 21,000 products, from food to books and toys.

The products will be stored locally on phone handsets, so users can keep shopping even when offline, as their orders will become automatically updated whenever an internet connection is made.

Ocado has an iPhone app, which launched last year and accounted for 4.4% of all orders placed in February, and an annualised sales value of £15m.

Jason Gissing, Ocado co-founder, said: "Last summer we were the first UK supermarket on the iPhone, and going live on Android is the next step of a revolutionary journey to be available across several digital platforms.

Gissing added: "Top-draw service and great value has never been so accessible – Android means many more shoppers being just a pocket away from great Tesco Price Matches, from handy hourly booking slots, and from super-reliable kitchen-table delivery. We're really excited as to where we can go next."