Bing Search Android API
You’ll be able to pull up information about content inside any app using the new Bing Search app for Android

Microsoft debuted new APIs for Bing this morning, making its knowledge and action graph available to third parties, but buried in that announcement was something that should concern Google.

The updated Bing Search app for Android can now analyze what’s on screen, in any app, and use the Bing API to search for relevant information. That means if you’re reading a local story about a hot new restaurant, you can long-press the home button and have Bing bring up information about it like the phone number so you can quickly make a reservation and a link to the Uber app to quickly get a ride there.

The new integration works almost exactly like Google Now on Tap, the Android Marshmallow feature teased at this year’s I/O conference. However, Google Now on Tap won’t come out until later this year when Marshmallow ships, and older phones may not get updated to the new operating system.

With Bing Search, any phone running Android 4.0 or beyond can use the new integration. If the software doesn’t detect the right search, users can also type in search terms without leaving the app. Microsoft claims there are “over a billion snapshots of people, places and things” accessible through the system.

The APIs are also a big deal. Developers will soon be able to integrate Bing’s data from its knowledge and action graph into their own apps, allowing users to search for information without going to different apps. The new APIs are coming in the fall, but developers can request access to them from Microsoft now.

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