14 DAY TRIAL // Google introduced an encrypted version of its website a year ago and has since been working on tweaking and improving it. It hasn't made much fuss about it, but the secured version is still getting updates and improvements, the latest being a rather big one, support for Image Search.
Google Image Search can now be accessed via the encrypted HTTPS version of the site. It's a great update for those interested about their security and privacy, but there is still plenty of work to be done before the encrypted alternative is on par with the regular Google Search.
For example, while the search results page for image searches is served via HTTPS, you get reverted to the regular HTTP protocol as soon as you click on one of the results, even in the preview page Google serves first.
Google's SSL Search, which is still in beta, is still lacking quite a lot of features, compared to the regular search page. Some of the left sidebar tools and filters are not available.
The most noticeable feature missing is Instant Search, which hasn't been enabled for the encrypted website. Still, if you want a safer browsing experience, it won't be such a huge trade off, the core features are all there.
Google introduced the encrypted version of its search engine among a broader move to switch over the more secure protocol. The HTTPS protocol uses encryption so only you and the recipient, in this case the Google servers, can see what's being transmitted, at least in theory.
However, just switching over is not an option, the move comes with a performance penalty and there are technical issues, that may affect some users, at play as well.
Google is working on fixing the problems, for example, the speed issue is being addressed with technologies like SSL Fast Start now included in Google Chrome which can shed off quite a lot of time from the initial handshake. [via Google OS]