How to speed up your mobile internet: Google's AMP brings super-fast, instant loading to mobile websites

If you're using Google's mobile app you may have noticed a green lightning bolt appearing next to some results. This icon is an indicator of Google's new Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) that will load websites almost instantly when clicked.

Google has been working on the AMP project to take the pain out of slow-loading mobile webpages by introducing a new framework that will see stripped-down versions of sites without things like third-party ads, plug-ins and widgets that bog down loading speed.

Now, thanks to the new HTML, users will see near-instant loading that's 85% faster than normal, which is not only a win for patience but also will help to improve mobile battery life and cut down on mobile data usage. These new websites are "light" versions of the original page so you won't see the likes of comment boxes or other page garnish other than the copy.

"For many, reading on the mobile web is a slow, clunky and frustrating experience – but it doesn't have to be that way. The Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) Project is an open-source initiative that embodies the vision that publishers can create mobile optimized content once and have it load instantly everywhere," it says the AMP project website.

At the time of launch Google announced it was partnering with 30 publishers to show how the AMP experience can benefit users. As the code is open-source it's available to anyone so other publishers and those who run websites or blogs who also want to be part of the AMP scene can use the HTML on their website and integrate into their CMS.

Currently, the new super-speedy AMP icon is only being seen on Google news articles and stories on the news carousel but Google has said it will work for pages populated with video, photos and GIFs. The roll-out out, scheduled for 24 February, is being gradually seen among users around the world but as of writing not everyone is able to access AMP results. You might have to wait until it arrives on your Google app – we are aware of the irony.