Bing

Apple will incorporate web search results from Microsoft Bing into its voice-enabled Siri personal assistant in iOS 7, the Cupertino-based company said today as it unveiled the next operating system for iPhone and iPad.

It’s a major win for Microsoft in its effort to gain traction for its search engine, and highlights the ongoing tension between Google and Apple on a variety of fronts. It continues a tradition of Microsoft and Apple being able to set aside their rivalries to work together on selected projects.

Previously, Siri used whichever search engine was selected by users in their iOS settings, where Google is the default. Under the new arrangement, Microsoft says Bing will be used for all web search in Siri. The company declined to disclose financial terms of the deal.

“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,” said Derrick Connell, a Microsoft Bing corporate vice president, in a blog post. “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.”

The arrangement is surprising in part because of a recent ad in which Microsoft used the voice of Siri in an attempt to ridicule the iPad.

Other new features in Siri include the option for a male voice, plus Twitter search integration. Apple plans to release iOS 7 as a free update this fall for on iPhone 4 and later, and iPad 2 and later.

More news from Apple’s WWDC: 

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