Microsoft makes mobile image searching a (nearly) typing-free experience

Microsoft thinks that typing on a mobile device is difficult. At the same time it understands that "you love to discover images" on the very same devices. To help make your mobile searches a little easier to conduct, the company is introducing a number of tweaks and changes to the iOS and Android Bing app.

Of course it is not possible to entirely eliminate the need to input words in order to conduct a search, but Microsoft has taken steps to reduce it to an absolute minimum. How has this been done? Enter simple search terms and you're provided with a couple of new ways to drill down to exactly what it is you're looking for with just a few taps.

There are two new options available to help you to hone in on the perfect image. After entering your basic search term (hey, if you're really anti-typing, you could dictate it...) 'bubbling' is used to group together images that fit into a certain category. Search for 'cars' and you might find that they're grouped together by color, model, or year; just tap the appropriately labelled 'bubble' (or button, if you're normal) and your search will be refined accordingly. This process can be repeated to hone in further and further, and you can remove search parameters by tapping the familiar delete X.

There is also a new autocomplete feature that allows for easier search refinement. Decided that your 'car' term is a little vague? Just tap it and you'll see a list of suggestions of alternatives you might want to use instead.

The feature is rolling out right now to all English language users. Check out the video below to see what all the fuss is about: