Microsoft has announced that it is heading onto the next phase of its AI journey by introducing enhanced mobile experiences that align with its desktop capabilities and include visual updates across Bing. In addition, to enhance the mobile experiences further, the company is introducing new features for the Bing, SwiftKey, Edge, and Skype apps.
The new features announced earlier in May are gradually becoming available to users. This week, both desktop and mobile users will be able to enjoy a more immersive Bing experience, with videos, Knowledge Cards, graphs, improved formatting, and the ability to share content on social media platforms within the chat feature.
Bing app enhancements
The Bing Chat widget: Users can add the new Bing Chat widget to their iOS or Android home screen by simply tapping the Bing icon to enter the Bing Chat experience directly or using the microphone icon to ask questions verbally.
Seamless conversation across devices: Continuous conversations between desktop and mobile devices are now available. Users can start a conversation on their desktop, continue it on their mobile while on the go, and resume it at home. This feature will be accessible to all iOS and Android users within the next week.
Enhanced voice and multilingual chat: Voice input support is being extended to more countries and languages, providing users with a broader range of options. Additionally, the company has made improvements to the quality of non-English chats, ensuring a better experience for users communicating in different languages.
SwiftKey app enhancements
AI-assisted message composition: SwiftKey, the intelligent keyboard powered by Bing, now offers an enhanced Compose feature that helps users draft messages by suggesting parameters such as subject matter, message tone, format, and length. It can handle administrative tasks, such as writing emails requesting resolutions, saving time and effort, and it will be available to all iOS and Android users within the next two weeks.
Integrated Translator: The SwiftKey keyboard now includes a built-in translator powered by AI. With a simple click on the Bing icon above the SwiftKey keyboard, users can access the Translator feature that allows them to choose languages for translation and supports all languages available on Bing. Users can type or paste the text, and the translated version will be inserted directly into the message field. This functionality is already available on Android and will be accessible to all users, including iOS, worldwide within the next week.
New Tones: SwiftKey Tone now includes two additional options: Witty and Funny. These AI-powered features assist users in crafting messages with the appropriate tone, whether it's a humorous one-liner or a formal work email.
Edge app enhancements
In the upcoming update for Edge mobile, Bing will introduce two exciting features for users worldwide. The first is Bing Chat, which allows users to ask questions and seek information directly related to the content they are viewing.
The second feature is selected text actions, where users can highlight any text and choose Bing from the options menu. This will open a conversation with Bing, enabling users to explore the topic further with cited sources and easily digestible summaries. These enhanced experiences will make it easier and faster to obtain relevant information while on the go, and they will be available worldwide for all users soon.
Skype app enhancements
The new AI-powered Bing in Skype group chats is now available, and users can easily access Bing's capabilities within any group conversation. There is no more hassle of adding Bing to contacts individually, but users can tag it directly. This feature is being rolled out to users and will be available to everyone in a few days.
Elsewhere, Microsoft and SAP have recently collaborated to help companies solve recruiting, onboarding, and training challenges by using the latest generative AI advancements.
