Microsoft is adding its Bing Search into SwiftKey. The Redmond giant acquired the rights to the app more than two years ago today, and with the new Bing integration, it’s clear the company wants to take a real swing at its main competitor, Google’s own Gboard (spotted by The Verge).
Users of the app will be able to access Bing from the search icon on the top toolbar, which can be accessed by tapping the plus icon on the top-left of the keyboard. This allows users to quickly search for webpages and insert them into the text boxes of messaging apps on Android. Additionally, users will also be able to crop bits of a webpage to use as an image that is automatically inserted in the message along to its website address.
Today’s update on SwiftKey for #Android builds search right into your keyboard, making it easy to search and share anything from the web with your friends. https://t.co/b4kAg2zIqW #search #Microsoft #SwiftKey #sharing #GooglePlay pic.twitter.com/KXcnXQodSL
— Microsoft SwiftKey (@SwiftKey) November 29, 2018
It’s a useful feature nonetheless, and is similar to Google’s own search function that can be found on Gboard. Microsoft also recently added Microsoft Translator integration to the app as well, so if you’re looking to de-Googlify your Android phone, this app could be a nice alternative to the stock keyboard.
The feature is rolling out to 11 countries: the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, Japan, India, France, Germany, Italy, Brazil, and Spain for the time being, and hopefully more countries later. If you’re interested, we’ve included a link for you to download the app below.
Do you think SwiftKey is a legitimate competitor to Gboard, or do you think Microsoft needs to improve it further? Let us know what you think in the comments.
