Bing

Microsoft has released version 1.1 of its popular Bing search tool for the iPhone. The daily image and trivia features pop up on the home screen after launching the app, and users can use voice commands to search the web or maps. Image search allows for quick previews of images and can save to the camera roll directly.

The update adds bug fixes, usability improvements, and more features. Searches and sites can be bookmarked or shared. Bing will now use location services to find nearby search results. Microsoft has added iPod Touch compatibility and SafeSearch settings with passcode protection. iPhone owners have already downloaded over one million copies of the app since it first launched in November.

All eyes are on the relationship between Apple and Google as the companies continue to encroach on each other's territory. Now Business Week reports that negotiations between Microsoft and Apple have been taking place for weeks. The subject of the conversation: replacing Google with Bing as the default search engine on the iPhone.

This development comes as Google pioneers its own phones and the Android mobile OS to compete with Apple's iPhone. For its part, Apple is working behind the scenes to develop its own mapping and mobile advertising business.

The mobile version of Microsoft's Bing search engine has been revamped and now supports touch screen devices such as the iPhone. The touch-optimized interface (m.bing.com) is currently only available to users in the US.

Mobile phones that don't support the touch interface are forwarded to a simpler version of the site. Microsoft has also added additional features to the mobile search engine including a visual search movie finder and a real-time data search. Examples of real-time information available include airline flight delays and NFL scores and stats.

Now that the number of iPhone applications is quickly approaching six digits, finding useful software seems to get more difficult every day. You may have heard that Apple is working on ways to improve the search for iPhone apps in the App Store and iTunes.

Now Microsoft is getting into the game with their Bing search engine. They've added a visual search gallery for top iPhone apps based on the company's Silverlight technology.