Microsoft today launched an entirely revamped Bing search engine app for iOS, which it is hoping will reimagine search on the iPhone. The Bing app has a new design with a much cleaner interface and a series of quick action buttons that aim to cut down on the amount of typing a user needs to do to get relevant search results.

According to Microsoft, existing mobile search engines are a copycat of PC-based search engines - long lists of links - but the needs on mobile are much different. On a phone, people are looking for faster ways to get what they want while minimizing the number of interactions, an experience Microsoft is planning to deliver with Bing.

The main focal point of the app is a search button that launches a standard search for any topic, using either words, voice, or an image. This search interface includes popular search topics, like "restaurants near me," and it also includes links to search images, videos, or news, in addition to the web.

bingmainview
On the main Bing screen below the search button, there's a series of quick tap buttons that will bring up things people often search for. "Near Me," for example, displays a list of venues that are nearby, and additional buttons like "Dinner" or "Coffee" let users drill down further in the search results without ever having to type a word.

There are also quick links to bring up local restaurants, current movies, images, videos, and maps, while scrolling down will open up a list of breaking news stories. Microsoft has put a lot of thought into the Bing search engine, and its results cover everything a person might be looking for.

bingnearme
As an example, if you tap the Movie quick link on the home screen, it shows movies in theaters, but it also shows new movies that have been added to Netflix and Amazon Prime, along with popular movies on both services. Tapping on one of these movies brings up information like actors and movie reviews, along with a long list of relevant apps. From the search results, a movie like Nightcrawler can be opened in Netflix, purchased on iTunes, rented on Amazon, or opened in VUDU.

bingmovies
Microsoft has made deep linking a major focal point in its new Bing app, and app-based search results that open the relevant app are available for many different types of searches. For example, searching for a popular restaurant nearby and then tapping that result will include all relevant associated apps.

A search for a local Chipotle brings up a map, a phone number, and a list of associated apps. Yelp, Foursquare, and Zomato are offered up as apps where reviews are available, while AllMenu is listed as a way to view the menu and Apple Maps, Uber, Google Maps, and Lyft are provided as options for getting there. For a restaurant with food delivery, Bing might offer up the relevant app, or for a restaurant that takes reservations, Bing will provide something like OpenTable as an option.

A search for a television show might bring up an option to open it up directly in Netflix, while searching for a particular song includes app links to watch it in the YouTube app or buy it in iTunes. In addition to helping people find things faster, Microsoft is hoping its deep linking will aid users in app discovery, helping them find new ways to do things via apps.

The new Bing app also takes advantage of Microsoft's Knowledge and Action Graph, which incorporates 21 billion facts, five billion relationships between entities, and 18 billion actions to give users answers to common questions quickly. That's been coupled with extensive work on indexing apps to build the backbone for the new Bing mobile experience.

Bing can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

LordQ Avatar
126 months ago
Bing Is Not Google though...
Nothing coming from Google is good anyways.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
btrach144 Avatar
126 months ago
I'd never heard of the Bing Rewards thing until you brought it up, so I had a look. Evidently its even more of a spy than just regular search. They get metadata on people by their search habits, they get target data by click-throughs, purchase data by seeing what cards you claim, and then when/where/how you spend the cards. They'll even use the rewards to help build a shadow social profile by seeing who you give the cards to if you don't spend them personally.

Google will be taking a lesson from this. I haven't seen something this sneaky since the whole Gmail "invite" sham.
Sources? and I mean article links. I work for MS and I haven't seen anything like this ever thrown around while working here. Granted, I don't work in Bing so I have no insights but from what I've gathered, Bing is just profit sharing ad revenue with users. On top of that, Microsoft fights hard to keep the Government out it's services because customer's don't want this. With that being said, Microsoft does have to abide by legally bounding court orders for information. Microsoft doesn't just go around and freely share info with the government. I can't imagine that we would show the door to the government and then open it for the ad industry.

Microsoft understands that privacy and protecting users is essential. MS has opened an entire data protection building that is staffed with legal and security experts to ensure that MS services remain safe and to educate users that our services are safe to use and used in a proper manor.

I hope you reply and attempt to back up your claims. Otherwise I'm going to have to assume that you work for Google :D

Additional MS Protection Info: http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/resources.aspx

**Important Disclaimer** While I may work for Microsoft, my above words are not officially reflective of Microsoft. I am here on my own accord and sharing my personal opinion with others. Nothing that I say represents Microsoft or it's beliefs. I have only shared my personal experiences.**Important Disclaimer**
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
btrach144 Avatar
126 months ago
...Are you being paid to say that....? lol :eek:
Just my opinion :)

Not outside the US.
Guess you need to move to the USA :)

Give up, Microsoft, seriously. Bing is the Zune of search engines.
Last I heard in July, Bing has 20.4% of market share. Why would you give up 20.4% market share? I suggest you actually try Bing. It's legit, plus you don't have to sign your soul over to Google.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sirious Avatar
126 months ago
Bing Is Not Google though...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antman2x2 Avatar
126 months ago
Whats a bing?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrCornfed Avatar
126 months ago
Bing! The Apple Maps of search.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive These Five Perks

Wednesday July 9, 2025 9:20 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, did you know that Apple offers you five perks beyond the extra storage space, at no additional cost? Here are the perks included with all iCloud+ plans:Private Relay keeps your Safari browsing history entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple. Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed. Hom...