"Why Google Removed File Size From Its Search Results Page?", asks Rustybrick at Search Engine Roundtable:
"It appears that Google has quietly removed the file size figure from the search results. I am not sure when this happened, it could have been a year ago, but it did happen.
A year and a half ago I took a screen capture of a search result for my company rustybrick and it had the file size of the page listed in the search results. ... Now, the same search, does not return the file size."
Relax, Rustybrick.
Yes, the main HTML file you mentioned is about 23K indeed. However, the total size of all supporting files required for displaying that file in a browser in your case exceeds 1M. The size simply can't be smaller, as that webpage consists of many pictures and scripts, up to 155K each.
Size of main HTML file is only one part of real measurement. Often it's just a small frame for displaying big content. How exactly big? Google's users had never knew! It was simply unmetered by Google.
If, for example, the Google reported that size of a document was 30K, it meant the size of HTML code for the entry page only! Despite any webmaster can squeeze into it tons of hidden content from external files, e.g., style-sheets, scripts, and advanced design elements, including pictures.
In fact, measuring the file size was a good idea. I remember many people were really grateful to Google for that nice feature. I would be the first to use it, e.g., for choosing newest entries for the Mini-WWW. But under condition the Google displays right sizes!
So, Google made it first, but did it wrong (sorry for sounding like Apple's PR :). But why?
First, unlike Mini-WWW, Google didn't need that. It focused on content, not design.
Second, it appeared not easy to implement. To calculate size of all used files, one needs to crawl deep. And sometimes URLs for supporting files are hidden in a script code that Google does not proceeds well.
I don't think it's a big technical problem to display correct size, however.
I guess the main reason why Google stopped showing file sizes was it contradicted their main ADs strategy. Google simply wants a better monetization from those who agree to pay Google more. What size or design simplicity has in common with that aim?
Imagine for a second that Google showed right file size. What's the sense in knowing that, if results are sorted without taking it into account anyway? Just recommendation not to open a particular link? Why it was listed in SERP then?!!
In contrast, Mini-WWW is the only "AD-less" search engine, which simply links to small files only.