Last month Bing joined the cross-platform movement with their newest 6.1 update on iOS. Bing’s version 6.1 released last December and brought changes to the app, including barcode scanning, Uber integration and support for animated GIF’s.
Barcode Scanning
If you want to price compare products in one store to make sure you are getting the best deal, Bing will allow you to scan the QR code and then compare prices with that of Amazon, Walmart, Target, Home Depot and Macy’s to name a few. If a matching product is found, it will list the stores that sell it with their current prices. Apps that allow price comparison through QR and barcodes do exist, but having it with Bing consolidates the amount of apps you are using and allows Bing to edge out some of its competitors such as Chrome and Safari.
Uber Brings Mapping to Bing
News broke out in June 2015 that Uber bought some of Bing’s mapping assets plus around 100 employees. Six months later the 6.1 release of Bing reveals that Uber may potentially be the mapping company behind Bing’s search engine. The updates allow you to order an Uber service through the Bing app when you tap on the “Get a Ride” icon from within. It will also show you available Ubers in your area.
User Experience Increases for Bing Users
Bing has also made it a priority in improving the overall user experience in its mobile search engine. The app now supports animated GIFs and increased the overall performance and responsiveness of its design to create an overall better experience for users.
Mobile Browsing Takes Over From Mobile Applications
These new updates may reflect how prevalent mobile web browsing is over mobile applications. Recent analysis by Morgan Stanley and comScore reveal that mobile browsing for new websites take up nearly 80-90 percent of our time. This is double the amount of time we normally spend on phone apps and is great news for companies facing higher and higher mobile user acquisition costs.
For many companies, creating a mobile application boils down to how cost-effective it is in reaching the customers that will make the most use out of it. But with recent studies showing that customers prefer reaching out to businesses on their own through mobile browsing, many businesses such as yourselves can rediscover ways to implement marketing strategies that are much more cost efficient.
At Kraus Marketing, we stay up-to-date with the latest trends in online marketing and SEO. Need help developing an online marketing strategy for your business? Contact us to inquire about our services or give us a call at 973-998-5742.