Tag: Microsoft Bing

Microsoft Bing Gains Visual Search Functionality in Latest Update

Microsoft has updated the Microsoft Bing search app for Android and iOS, bringing a new visual search functionality to it.  The feature works very similar to Google Lens (albeit not real time) by allow you to snap a photo of an object, bar code or a photo from your phone to identify objects in it.

The feature is also part of Microsoft Launcher and Microsoft Edge for Android with the feature coming to Edge for iOS shortly.

Bing for Android Update Brings Cross-Device Search History Sync

Microsoft has released a new update of Bing for Android that brings a handful of new features and improvements.  The new build is version 8.2.26177804 for those keeping score at home.  If you have Bing installed on your phone, you should get the OTA update over the course of the next few days.

Among the new features is the ability to sync your search history across devices on which you use Bing.  The most vivid example of this would be your Android phone and your Windows 10 PC.  If you search for something in the Bing for Android app, you can go to Bing on your PC browser and get that search history there too.

Microsoft Bing for Android Update Brings Improved In-App Browser Experience

Microsoft Bing has a new update rolling out for Android users that brings an improved in-app browser experience along with a handful of other tweaks & improvements.  The new build is version 8.1.26158908 for those keeping score at home.

The biggest change in this new build is the improvements around in-app browsing.  Generally the entire experience is better but video and image viewing is better along with easier tab navigation and the ability to find text on a page.

Bing for Android Update Brings Revamped Home Page & Other Improvements

Microsoft has released an update for their Bing app for Android.  The update brings a significant number of changes and improvements to the search app including a new home screen.  The update is version 8.0.25268601 for those keeping score at home and if you have Bing installed on your phone, you should see the update come via an OTA update over the course of the next few days.

The first change you will note is the improved Home page.  Now you have the familiar search section of the Home page, but below that you now have news cards of top stories more visible.  The page also gives you easy access to your voice assistant and camera.  Microsoft has injected Machine Learning into the app now and over time, it will learn your habits and what you like to read so it will bubble up more relevant information to you.  Like other apps, the more you use it, the smarter and more personalized it will become.  Also, you can explicitly dislike a story or source by tapping the overflow menu (the … menu)  on the card.

Bing for Android Update Adds New Rewards Widget

Microsoft has rolled out a new update to the Bing search app for Android today.  Version 7.4 of the app brings mostly under-the-hood fixes and improvements to the search app but does have two new widgets for Bing Rewards tracking.

For those who aren’t familiar, Bing Rewards are points that you accumulate as you use the app on your phone, PC or if you use Microsoft Edge on your PC as your browser.  You can then use these points for discounts in the Microsoft store.   It is a program that Bing has had for several years and remains popular.

With the 7.4 update, you will have the ability to add one of two widgets.  The first is an adjustable panel which shows you your progress and a quick link to go search using the search engine.  The second is a non-adjustable round dial style that shows your progress.  I’ve added a screen shot at the end of this post so you can see them.

Microsoft Bing Update Brings App Shortcut Support

Microsoft Bing, the Redmond, Washington’s search engine and app, has an update rolling out for Android users that brings a lot of improvements.  Along with an overall improvement in the search experience, this update to Bing also brings support for Android App Shortcuts.  Now you can long press the app to open new tabs, save images, and start a new search.

Search results in Microsoft Bing are also improved with this update.  Searches are new faster with the search results being more accurate and more clearly laid out in the results view.

Microsoft Bing Now Sits at 33% Market Share in The US

Microsoft Bing is a mirror reflection to a large degree with that of Microsoft’s mobile device strategy.  It’s been hyped, gutted and updates numerous times and, at one point, somewhat left for dead.  But unlike Microsoft’s mobile device strategy, Bing survived and is now thriving thanks to continual nurturing from Microsoft and more users coming to it for their search and news needs.

On Thursday of last week, Bing tweeted out two stats about the search engine during a webcast they were having at the time.  The first tweet highlighted not only the 33% market share in the US, but the market share in other countries.

This is interesting in that we normally don’t see a country-by-country breakdown of this information.  As you can see, the US had the biggest market share with Taiwan at 26% and the UK at 23%.

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