Towards the end of January, Google added support for 40 plus third-party cards from selected developers to Google Now. Now, the Director of Product Management of Google Now, Aparna Chennapragada, has revealed at SXSW that Google plans on offering an open API for Now.

Since an open API can be greatly abused by third-party apps, Google will be monitoring the app usage pattern of users and display cards only from apps that are relevant to them or they frequently use.

Additionally, for the next six-to-twelve months, the Google Now team will focus on further personalising the cards displayed to users. For example, Google Now will potentially take into account how early you usually reach the airport the next time it displays you a card for leaving to the airport.

Chennapragada did not provide any other details about the open API for Google Now at SXSW, including a potential release timeframe.

An open API for Google Now will further increase the value of Google Now and make it more smart and intelligent, but it is important that Google takes all the neccessary steps to make sure that developers don’t end up abusing their power.