Microsoft and Verizon have come together to provide an alternative to Google on Google’s own operating system. The newly minted Bing app will come exclusively to Android customers with Verizon service.
Bing has started to take some steam away from Google, though it is admittedly more like a tiny mist. But its features such as a more visually explosive home page and the ability to play content directly on the search results page (videos, music, games) has definitely attracted new users.
The Verizon/Android app hopes to bring some of that magic over to the mobile space. Just like Bing.com, the Bing app will have an image of the day, giving users a different visual experience every day they use the app.
It also promises a more intuitive connectivity with the phone’s built-in GPS to make local search results more relevant and easy to find. Other features include a brand new image results window which shows as many pictures as possible at one glance.
An even bigger part of the deal is that new phones sold through the Verizon channel will come with the Bing app pre-installed. So out of the gate, users will be able to decide which search tool is right for them.
It goes to show just how different Android is from the iPhone. On the iPhone, developers are rejected if their apps too closely mirror a service that’s already offered on the device. On Android, Google welcomes that diversity even if it’s from a direct competitor.
