The company calls it Bing for Mobile Hybrid Apps, as it noted that it would let users to get an experience across all platforms consistently as the core Bing app is written in HTML5. Additionally, one would note that across all native clients and the web, the experience would be the same. However, there was even a note, which said that it would be able to tap specific hardware features on each device that would help users in taking advantage of services such as Bing Vision and voice search.
Leveraging HTML5 has given a number of advantages to the software giant. Now, it can even launch features on various platforms quickly, as the base is same and it would even be blessed with the consistency in case of experience between different platforms. Interestingly, it scraps the need to keep downloading updates for native apps, as the company can keep the core of the apps up to date.
With the improvements, user search ability even has improved. This would mean that the users would be able to integrate outside services more easily so users can complete tasks without leaving the app, instead of answering queries with information or an app. An instance for the same can be noted as, a ticketing service can be integrated right into Bing for Mobile to fulfill a user’s desire to buy tickets.
Stefan Weitz, senior director of Bing said, “We think it’s an interesting model to think about how to expose the things you can do with a product or service in ways that engines like Bing can consume them, so we can do a better job.” He even noted their intention as he said, “That’s the idea, how can we begin to unlock the power of these applications so engines like Bing can use them to fulfill a request.”
The additional improvements one would see because of hybrid apps include:
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Maps/List Split View — Users can see a list view alongside a map on one screen, making it easy for people to see what they’re searching for. This can also work for driving directions and transit.
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Search History — Users can see a history of their search queries to get back to recent searches.
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Deals — Bing for Mobile offers local deals aggregated from Groupon, LivingSocial, Tippr and other major deal providers.
Strangely, Microsoft is working on the hybrid apps for its own Windows Phone 7 devices, along with BlackBerry, and Bing for Mobile Hybrid Apps will first appear on the iPhone in the United States and the United Kingdom. The software giant has not excluded the Android devices as it would even appear on certain Android devices in the United States.