Apple's Siri dumps Google in favour of Microsoft's Bing in iOS 7

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Apple has today unveiled that Siri in iOS 7 will be using Bing as its programmed search engine. The friendly voice-controlled assistant will be able to control more elements and functions of the iPhone, but we're pleased to see Apple choose Microsoft over Google for searching and interacting with the Interwebz. As well as Bing, Siri will make full use of services including Wikipedia and Twitter.

Apple is also competing against Windows Phone, so why has the company sided with Microsoft? Come on, this is good guy Microsoft we're talking about here. Redmond is Apple's only option for search that isn't Google and the company has been attempting to eliminate its dependencies on the search giant for some time (remember the whole Apple Maps fiasco?).

If you'd like to follow all the happenings at WWDC then be sure to head on over to our sister website, iMore.

Source: iMore

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds

Rich Edmonds is Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him over on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.
155 Comments
  • Ouch, now that is a massive blow to Google.
  • More than massive... I love it!!! Plus Bing is better anyways IMO
  • maybe if you live in us. i dont like the fact that some people get rewarded for searching while others who are not from us dont get shit
  • Huh?! Bing is just wonderfull here in the Netherlands
  • he's talking about "Bing Rewards" which is exclusive to US citizens.
  • I really wish I got rewarded for searching in windows phone. I say this because I happen to use Bing search more on WP than on computers since its nicely integrated. Unfortunately, Bing rewards only work with the website.
  • At least you get rewards with Bing.  Does Google reward you abroad?
  • Is that sarcasm? Because Bing NL sucks balls. When I want to use bing, I use Bing USA
  • I agree, all the great things like news and other people's searches and popular searches and wikipedia pulls don't work in the uk, Microsoft really need to sort that
  • Do you get rewarded by using google?
  • no but i prefer it, because i dont like the fact that:
    us people are worth more than others
  • Stupid hoe. Go get spied on then.
  • It has nothing to do with who is worth more. There are hoops to jump through, and Microsoft is a US based country. It makes sense they have it here first. Maybe you should start up a search engine that rewards people in your country.
  • So Europeans are better than others cuz they get access to the Nokia car charger dock earlier? Come on, certain countries get different things. MS is a USA based company. There are probably regulations that prevent or make it difficult to have Bing rewards in other places. Maybe your government is to blame... I don't know. But kinda wrong to just assume MS is implying Americas are "better."
  • i think you can order car charger somewhere online. and if you cant, you will at least get it later
    i dont think i will ever see bing rewards in my country
  • Yap, all the good things only for select few. The others, including my country, is only get the most basic Bing released years ago. At least start adding some features to the international Bing, Microsoft!
  • Exactly. In other countries it is just substandard. A funny example: if I try to search for weather in spanish no luck at all, just change the wording and literally use "weather"  in the spanish-mx version of bing and bingo! There is also no local scout for WP in most countries, actually, I could continue for a while. I don't have any intrinsic preference for Google or Bing, but it is clear that, at least outide of US and a few other countries, they haven't really tried that hard.
  • Why?  Does anyone actually use Siri anyway?
  • Bing it on
  • + 920
  • Windows iPhone 7
  • Ohhhh!
  • Haha... Great idea! :D
  • More like iJelly iBean. Jonny Ive must have stolen Duarte's notes.
  • and removed all the Tron-inspired-stuffs plus added typical Apple emotional speech
  • I like it, most of the revolutionary features and UI improvements to iOS are taken from Windows Phone almost directly. Besides the post processing effects that gives me a headache instantly. iHeadache < miPhone.
  • Wow. Never saw that coming. This is going to help out Bing immensely
  • Sh*t just got real.
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvqJ1mTkEuY
  • Lol
  • There's a shock, but so long as there isn't any programming error on Apple's part (*cough* Apple Maps... *cough*), this will hopefully unveil to people that Bing actually works very well!
  • My thoughts excatly! Thank you apple!!
  • I really want to agree with you. The truth is that the average iOS user (a) hardly uses Siri (b) isn't tech savvy enough to know nor care who is providing search results (c) going to change computer browsing habits based on a phone.
    An example here... if you look at browser share numbers, does Safari have a 20-30% market share in the US? No. Is there any reason an iOS user cannot download Safari on their PC? Nope.
  • Agree with you. Facebook uses Bing but nobody cares. Google has become a household name for search ala Kleenex to tissues
  • Exactly, people say 'Oh, just google it' even if they use yahoo, bing etc...
  • If you're referring to windows PC, I believe safari is no longer available
  • It's still available and up to date, but you have to trawl the Apple download pages to find it (I have to have it installed for web testing).
  • Are you sure? Latest safari for mac is 6.0.5 released june 5, 2013; latest safari for windows is 5.1.7 released may 9, 2012. Is there a new release for windows I missed? I also remember an article being posted here (also on the verge) about safari no longer being available on windows.
  • Very good point, but nonetheless, this should stir things up a little bit as broadcasters break the news to everyone. I'm curious as how the web will react to this...
  • Oh Google. Oh google. What ya gonna do now, stop making apps for ios???
  • Best comment here!!
  • Best comment I've read all day!
  • Haha best indeed..!! :D
  • Fantastic news. Apple realizing that WP is the real deal
  • Bing doesn't mean WP.. :D
  • No but Windows Phone was shown as #2 in customer satisfaction during the presentation :D
  • I think that's Apple taking a minor jab at Google.
  • Oh snap!
  • Oh double snap!
  • Snap, crackle, pop....bing!
  • +1
  • Oh triple snap in a Z formation!
  • Adjustable snap view!
  • Sweet. About time Bing picks up. A day in my life with only Bing. I rarly use google now.... Only if I can't find something on Bing.
  • Really. What Can't you find on Bing?
  • Reviews for pretty much anything
  • The address of any business that has opened in the last five years.
  • Sometimes when I'm looking for the odd code thing that I'm imagining to see if someone has done it yet or not. Stackoverflow.com stuff lol
  • From personal experience I've found that google is generally better for searching for images according to keywords (eg a meme according to is caption) and forum searches.
    I have the feeling that MS robots don't collate information from deep enough within the page. Otherwise, i mostly use bing on my phone because of the UI.
  • I always do the same, use google when i cant find something in bing, and then I see none of both found anything i wanted :P
  • That's very surprising to me. But I'm glad. Tired of googles monopoly bull crap! Yes that's how mad I am I said crap.
  • Oh snap! Guys he said the word crap...
  • holy shit
  • WHOA WHOA LETS KEEP IT PG PLEASE!! WALTER
  • Shit, i'm sorry man.  Sometimes i'm such an asshole.
  • Walter seriously?! Calm your ass! And get your shit together!
  • Dam Walter! Quit bloody cursing!! Mutha Fu¢ker!
  • I guess Tim Cook took the Bing It On challenge and was surprised by the results.
  • Lol that would be hilarious.
  • LOL!
  • Well Played Sir!
  • The Bing Reward got him hooked. He is going to route all these Siri search going through the Siri account on Bing. Every 475 points gets him $5 Amazon gift certificate. Happy days.
  • LOL
  • Sweet. This will help people realize that Bing is a really good alternative to Google. Not only that with more users, its going to get better.
  • Ios7 copies so much from windows phone like the multitasking and swipe to unlock, actually the whole interface flat design has been copied
  • I hate that too, but as much as I want to say "stupid iOS" it might actually help WP out,,,, buy means of familiarity..
  • I doubt it really, wp doesn't have the market share right now to show the mainstream when apple/google copies from them
  • No, not showing that they copied, but when people see WP in the store they may perceive it as a familiar looking alternative.. Possibly the same thing that some did with Android back in the day.
  • They'll probably just say 'WP copied the iphone!'
  • Actually the card multitasking comes from webos/palm. A lot of ios 7 looks like webos+WP. But it seems everything has been done before.
  • I never... never, EVER thought I'd say this but... good job Apple!
  • Yes!
  • its a good day to own a windowsphone :). iOS 7 is WindowsPhone with some android. did not see that one coming xD http://i.imgur.com/1wBWY8A.jpg
  • I think Apple & Microsoft have been copying themselves a looong time ago. Actually since Steve Jobs got back to rerun the company... I think
  • Actually I think ios7 kinda looks like a sucky version of windows phone. Now MSFT just needs to assimilate all users from IOS via siri voice commands and then take advantage......"Siri, what's the best mobile OS?" Siri: "windows phone 8 kicks my a**, please go to try it have a nice day"
  • Nailed it lol!!
  • Another reason to not buy iPhone
  • ?
  • Everything's opposite in soviet Russia, man. :(
  • ): .nam ,aissuR teivos ni etisoppo s´gnihtyrevE
  • Translator app??
  • !eno dooG .eheH
  • LOL! This made my day
  • Lol @them using Bing, android fanbois are gonna be frothing at the mouth
  • Is this going thermonuclear?
  •   +1 to this.   I don't know how hyperbolic Jobs was in everyday speech, but to "go thermonuclear" is pretty much all-out conflict. Apple has to use some kind of search by default - AFAIK it doesn't build search engines - and Bing is the only real alternative to Google.   Personally I find Google search is often better than Bing for mapping business addresses and finding specific images. But day-to-day if I need to find something online Bing is perfectly fine.   Now, we'll know it's Thermonuclear time if iOS' Safari also defaults to searching with Bing. That's a LOT of lost revenue for Google...  
  • BWAAHAAAHAAAAHAAA. Take that Google.
  • Next is HERE Drive ;)
  • Awesome....i never use google
  • OMG, flat squares are cool now.
  • Is this confirmed?? Would be great, but I though they have some agreement with Yahoo, which means google, iirc
  • Yahoo's search returns Bing results.
  • Wrong info, Yahoo search is powered by Bing.
  • It would be better if they'd made Bing the default in Safari, then people would be able to see it.  In Siri it will be hidden and nobody uses Siri anyway.
  • True.... But it is the built in search in Facebook... Fancy why that happened lol.... Lots of people see it.
  • Sweet! Bing FTW
  • I thought it said that Bing was included now. I didn't see where they said they were taking the Google search out...
  • Awesome! Bing wel get better :)
  • Great point.
  • man this is funny lol
  • everyone is talking about how microsofts design philosophies are ugly and everyone is copying them now lol
  • MS / WP8 FTMFW..... Def a good day to be owning a Windows Phone = )
  • Giggity. This put a major smile on my face.
  • Look at the multitasking...it's exactly the SAME with windows phone......COPY
  • No, Windows phone copied it from the dead WebOS, by including the slide-up to kill app gesture ios has copied 100% from WebOS and it is now better than windows phone :(
  • WP 8.1 needs a big update now. I live my Lumia 920, and I plan to stay with windows phone, but I like the visual style of androids and iPhones new calendar. Hopefully Microsoft didn't abandon the notification center that they were working on, because I really want it because of push notification
  • Bada Bingggggggggg
  • I know we have heard that the notification center started to look like the people tile before it disappeared, and I am fine with that. You know how the Me tile is a sub-app out of the people app? Make notifications a sub-app from the Me app and make it come up when I hold down the windows button. Then move TellMe to a hold down of the search button, and everything would be awesome
  • I do like this idea of yours!
  • That's what the fuck you guys talking about don't you guys see how much they copied our design smfh I am outrage
  • 'Our'?
  • Designs are always copied by everyone. Windows phone multitasking cards was copied from WebOS, now Apple has copied the same and made it even better by including slide-up to kill app gesture which was standard on WebOS.
  • So now Microsoft has to do something better from this..... a much better multitasking that you can EASILY kill apps....will be great for windows phone
  • Want some toasts
  • Good guy Microsoft...
  • Very interesting news... Back when I was still using my iPhone 4, I actually switched the default search engine to Bing because I got sick to death of Google.
  • Really its not big of a surprise. When apple upgraded to OS6 it had dropped google for its built in map app.
  • Help. I've fallen out of my chair...
  • YES!! This is great news especially considering Google's campaign against Microsoft!!
  • Watch out for the NEXT search engine market share report.
  • Wow thanks Apple, it will help improve Bing everywhere.
  • LOL This is all Google needed...Microsoft and Apple entering a friendship. Guys at Mountview must be pissed off.
    I wonder what would happen if after this Microsoft decides to allow Apple to have Office and not Google (it would be well deserved given Google's "good will" toward Microsoft).
    Or even better, if Apple decides to enter a partnership with Nokia to release iOS based Nokias in 2015 instead of Android Nokias, once Symbian is put definitely to death...
  • No they haven't. They've only implemented Bing into Siri. In safari, google is still the default search engine.
  • http://blogs.computerworld.com/sites/computerworld.com/files/u23/ios7-flat-ui.jpg
    Apple is very innovative with iOS 7,a pioneer!
  • Well done apple, you have seen the light Bing is much better.
  • Whaaaa?
  • WOW that's huge!
  • Yes!!!Take that Google!!!!
  • And now after IOS 7 ....Microsoft has to do something better than this.....by creating the new windows phone 8.1 with NEW features
  • Ios7 = android wp8
  • Lol yea
  • iOS7 multitasking is exactly looks like wp8, have anyone noticed that?
  • The truth is that Microsoft copied this feature from the dead webOS and now Apple copied this feature from Microsoft......
  • BING IT ON LOL
  • this is HUGE news wonder why it isnt in the front pages of some leading tech sites
  • My God, it is in every front page. I have Geekbyte and only a few Xbox 1 news. The rest, the revolutionary iOS7.
  • I wish Microsoft didn't bail out Apple so that they could sue the shit out of Apple.
  • Does MS have some stake in Apple I wonder?
  • Microsoft / Bing just got so much validation
  • Maybe MS told Apple they could "borrow" some design elements if they included Bing?  LOL
  • Apple using Bing?  Did not see that coming. 
  • Microsoft is a shareholder in Apple and has a patent sharing agreement dating back 16 years. 
    http://news.cnet.com/MS-to-invest-150-million-in-Apple/2100-1001_3-202143.html
     
    no suprises really. All our technology is theirs and all their techology is ours. The real enemy :) is google/android
  • Haha you will see Apple die like wp8. Nobody will be forced to use bang. Google passed microsoft last year. I hate to break it to you but Google is supermassive and will not be denied lol and maps are radical YouTube is radical, gmail is radically fast and syncing notifications between devices is epic. Also Google voice recognition is the best there is. Oh I forgot Google voice which nobody else has so I can send all my calls to wherever. You have to admit Google is a force to be reckoned with
  • Sorry but Apple's starting to preventively deny Google, there will also be a time when the Google-Apple deal for the native-coded Google and YouTube apps expire and Apple will no choice but to either rre-code the Google apps for iOS into  HTML5 ones like what Google did to Microsoft and as a preventive measure Apple's starting to try Microsoft's services one service at a time.
  • I have a mixed feeling about this. On one hand, I like the idea of spreading things apart, not using too many google apps. On the other hand, google apps are so much better than any other apps. I also like the simplicity of google's product. How many people (used to) go to google.com to test if their Intenet is on?? Their loading time is much faster than sites with too many contents. Anyway...