Microsoft has announced the launch of its first Bing for Mobile Android app for Verizon customers. The app is available for download in the Android Marketplace on Verizon Android devices.
The app homepage will look somewhat familiar to Bing users, as it will include the Bing image of the day with the clickable hotspots, much like the desktop version. You can swipe through past images.
The endless scrolling of the image search also makes the transition to the app. In fact, endless scrolling is functional with any search result.
The app also supports voice search, which Android users are already familiar with through Google’s offerings.
"Voice search is also great when it comes to your local business listings," says Bing’s Andy Chu. "Give it a try, even something complex, hold the phone to your ear and speak, or press the mic button—it’s that simple."
"The Android app also has a pretty smooth mapping feature," adds Chu. "First, Bing will automatically find your current location. You can then easily discover new places by category such as restaurants, banks, theaters and you can choose whether you want walking or driving directions. Swipe through each step of your directions, and check out how fast the map pans and zooms. For times when you only have one hand free and can’t pinch, there is the handy zoom-out button."
Other features of the app include local listing reviews, ratings, and news.