Microsoft has rolled out an update for their search app Bing for Android today. The update is versions 6.7.25183495 for those keeping score at home and on the surface, you won’t find much different from the previous version. There have been a few UX design improvements but overall, not much to see here. The big news is deeper however in the improved support for accessibility. Bing supported accessibility features in Android previously but they were limited. With this update, accessibility support can be found throughout the app, not just searching.
If you are one who has various accessibility features enabled on your phone, this update to Bing will support many of the settings including TalkBack and Magnification gesture.
Note that the support for accessibility features in Bing for Android are reliant on the system settings. In other words, you won’t find settings within the app for accessibility. These system level and
Bing for Android
services for accessibility support can be found in Settings on your phone.
While some Android users scoff at the idea of using another search engine other than Google, for those users who are heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, having Bing on your phone is helpful. It will allow you to have search history across your devices like your phone & your PC much like what Chrome does with Google Search. The app is free if you want to give it a try and if you are using the Microsoft Arrow Launcher, it has Bing integrated into it for quick searches from your Home screen.
For those who have the Bing for Android app installed, expect an OTA update over the course of the next few days.
