Microsoft updates Bing iOS apps with fresh look and translations
Microsoft continues its make nice to Apple with a solid update to the Bing Search app for iOS. There are separate versions for the iPad and iPhone. The GUI has been slightly reworked, and the biggest feature is a translation option for any content you have brought up with Bing. You can set a language in the app settings, but the default is set to translate to English. I tested the feature on some German and Swedish websites and got understandable English, but like most on-the-fly translations it was quirky. Useful: Yes. Perfect: No.
Compared to the Google app for iOS, Bing is much richer. and on the iPad in particular, it is more polished and easier to navigate. Both apps support voice input. Google has translation apps, but not integrated to its iOS search app the way it is on this new version of Bing Search. One interesting feature in Bing is a lasso tool to circle text on a page -- Bing will then find content related to that text. This feature was handy and worked well. Maps are nicely integrated, and bookmarks can be synched between your devices if you have a free Microsoft sign-in.
On the iPhone, navigating the interface is not as easy. Many buttons and controls are hidden until you tap in the right place, usually at the top of the page. Both iOS apps have the same functionality, but the iPad version is just easier to use and navigate. Bing also adds trending stories and the Photo of the Day to your Today Notifications.
Next year, Apple's deal with Google making it the default search option in Safari runs out, and Microsoft seems to be working hard to replace Google. Yahoo is also in the running, and we are seeing a lot of app refreshes from Yahoo too.
The iOS Bing apps are quite good and full-featured. I still sometimes find the Google search superior in terms of relevant results, but Bing is coming up fast and organizes the results it finds in a more useful way.
The Bing apps require iOS 7 or greater. The iPhone version is optimized for the newer iPhone 5 and 6 series of phones. Bing Search is a worthwhile adjunct to Google's search app, and some will prefer Bing for its look and added features.
