The search engine’s September update contains three major additions to visual search. Perhaps the most notable is the ability to transcribe text. The feature now lets users take images of text and search directly, finding the source of quotes, looking up menu items, and more. Strangely, Microsoft has also released math solving functions on iOS. Users snap an equation for a detailed step-by-step explanation and solution. The feature will no doubt be useful to those in certain fields, but it seems quite niche. However, the final improvement should be of use to everyone. Bing is making it easier to search via image with a new Visual Search dialog box. You can drag and drop images, paste URLs, or take an image directly to greatly speed up the process.
Bing Education, ASL, and NFL
Bing has also received improvements outside of Visual Search. A new education carousel links children to popular education tools that display information about the periodic table, solar system, and more. Part of this education material is a new American Sign Language experience. With it, users have access 159 videos of words to help them learn. Microsoft is currently using trained interpreters but says it’s working with the deaf community to get a more authentic feel. Finally, Bing is gearing up for the start of the football season. It will give detailed information on each team, from touchdown comparisons to player performances. You can find the full changes on the blog, as well as available platforms.
