The new version of Bing for iPhone adds two very interesting features. The first is the ability to see relevant status updates from your social networks within your search results. The second is Visual Scanning feature which is very similar to Google Goggles.
Connect your Twitter and Facebook accounts within the Bing application to enhance your search results. In addition to seeing your standard results for a specific query, you will also see updates from your social networks that are relevant to the search. This is like automatic crowd sourcing.
Say you’re thinking of buying an album from an artist you’re not that familiar with. While you’re researching clips and background on them, you will be able to see what your friends and contacts have already said about them. The new Bing app also makes it easy to share content you find across Facebook, Twitter, and via email.
Using your iPhone camera, you can now scan bar codes, cover art, and other items. Microsoft is calling this Visual Scanning, probably because they couldn’t think of anything cooler…like “Google Goggles.” Once you’ve scanned a CD, book, or other product, you can see details about it. A description, pricing, reviews, and links to where you can buy that product may be included.
It seems that, to the dismay of many, social media will remain a part of search results. While some think they should be excluded, relevant updates from your social circle are useful in most cases.
We also see visual search becoming a new standard here. Being able to search for things not just with words, but by scanning a barcode or taking a picture is an awesome feature for mobile users and helps connect potential customers directly to merchants. Instead of just asking a friend where they got their new shoes, you could scan them, check out the details, and by them without blinking an eye. Microsoft seems to be taking this area seriously with Microsoft Tag and now this update to the Bing app.
Other features in this update include updates to the Movies section, giving you access to more videos, trailers, and showtimes. You can also use the new Shopping section to search for products, price them, and buy them.
via TechCrunch