Microsoft has slipped out a new version of Bing for the iPhone and iPod touch, adding a number of stability fixes, new features and usability tweaks.
There’s already been a million downloads of the Bing app for iPhone, and Microsoft’s ‘Bing for Mobile’ dude Florian Voss invited users to submit their feedback for the latest version.
He’ll be hearing nowt from us Brits though, as the steenkin’ thing is only available in the US – which, by our reckoning, adds up to a sizeable flaw in Microsoft’s plans to wean us off Google.
Here’s the new features breakdown from Microsoft’s blog:
Bookmarks and improved web browsing: you can now bookmark maps, directions, web sites, businesses, search terms, even the weather report, and get to the bookmarks right from the Bing home page.
Sharing: you can share interesting results with your friends using e-mail.
Copy and paste URLs: you told us and we listened! We now support copying and pasting URLs.
Parental control on search settings: we helped make search safer by letting you set a SafeSearch level and create a passcode so it can’t be changed. This is a benefit for parents who want to make sure the kids are only going to safe sites on their devices.
Search history and private search: you can now view and edit your search history. You can also search the web without saving your history on the device using private search.
Explicit location setting: let your iPhone find you or set a specific location so you can search near there (super useful when you’re going to travel to another city and want to find things around there).
Tighter integration of contacts in directions: Bing now autosuggests contacts from your address book when you enter start and end locations in directions.
Support for 1st generation iPod touch devices: we now support all versions of iPod touch.
iTunes feedback
Early feedback on the app seems pretty enthusiastic too, with one user commenting:
Micro$oft, you did a great job on this app. I figure it’s only a matter of time before you bloat this app with ads and other stuff, so I’ll be back to update my rating but for now I’m giving you a well-deserved 5/5 (and on a 1.0 product no less!). In fact, I’ve even made a place for it right on the first screen of my iPhone.
From a Mac-only user, this app is truly worthy of any iPhone.
