Whilst we were all caught up in the madness of WWDC, where Apple unveiled iOS 7 and OS X "Mavericks", many people missed an important and subtle detail. Apple have opted to make Bing the default search engine for integration into its voice assistant technology, Siri.
Previously, searching the web from Siri would prompt Safari to open and a search to run through Google. Given the competition with Google's proprietary service, Google Now, it appears Apple have decided not to afford the company the extra traffic. As well as through Bing, Siri can now conduct searches on Twitter and Wikipedia, giving you as many options within the service as possible before you're directed into Safari.
Over on the Bing Blog, Microsoft describes how the feature will work:
Starting this fall with iOS 7, Bing will power Siri's new integrated web search. When users ask Siri a question either the specific answer or web search links will now be delivered automatically so users can find information even faster.
Bing was designed from the outset to be a great place for web search helping customers quickly find what they are looking for and get more out of search. We are thrilled that all the great results people have come to know and love on Bing.com will now be available to Siri users on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
Integration of web searching within Siri has been a notable missing feature since its launch, however Apple's new relationship with Bing ensures users can get answers without leaving the app. It remains unclear whether Apple is sourcing more information than simply web searches from Bing, as Microsoft's search engine pulls up data for weather, stocks and more.
Source: Microsoft via Search Engine Land | Image via Bing
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