Microsoft Overhauls Bing iOS App, Creates Something Genuinely Useful

Microsoft has invested a significant amount of resources over the years to build out its search fabric that the company calls Bing. While most people think of this as simply the web domain, the truth is, the search technology is woven deep into several of Microsoft’s products and powers many of the experiences you use including Cortana.

Today, the company has announced a significant overhaul to their iOS app that brings a new interface along with updated functionality that makes it easier to find local content. The interface is simplified, more refined, and the popular Bing image of the day now fills the background.

I’ve been using the app for a few days and I’m actually quite surprised at how well it is thought out. I travel quite a bit and what this app makes it easy to do is to find everything you typically need quickly, such as food or neat places to visit in as little as one tap.

By placing popular search items right on to the screen, it creates a better experience than having to open up a browser and type in “food” or “attractions”; and the layout is better than simply putting these same items into Google Maps on iOS.

This update is a big improvement over the last version of the app that was more of a gateway to a search box whereas this new app can help save time with common queries being presented in an easy to use layout.

Most of these functions that are included in the Bing app can be found in other products, such as Yelp, but what makes this app better is that it combines multiple app core strengths into one . I can actually see myself using this app when I travel but one thing to keep in mind is that this app, for now, is US only. Further, it’s iOS only but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this pop up on Android.

And why isn’t it on Windows 10 Mobile? Microsoft says that these features are already baked into Cortana. The app is available now from the app store and you can get a taste of it by checking the gallery below.