Probably launched too quickly on February 7, the version of Bing boosted with ChatGPT was not compatible with smartphones. Microsoft has just fixed the problem, but the timing for this launch is not ideal.
In a blog post published on February 22, Microsoft announces the deployment of the new Bing on mobile, with a voice mode, after having limited it to the Edge browser on PC and Mac at first. A welcome change when most searches on the web are done from a smartphone (64%, according to Microsoft), but a rather strange timing given the many controversies surrounding Bing ChatGPT. Indeed, since February 17, the conversational agent has been completely restricted and refuses to answer most questions. Not terrible to mark the spirits on the effectiveness of the tool.
Can Bing replace Siri and Google Assistant?
With this deployment, Microsoft undoubtedly has in mind the wish to calm the critics, who deplore the lies of the new Bing, too often aggressive and mocking. The company takes advantage of its press release to announce that a million people have access to the new Bing in more than 169 countries, while emphasizing the degree of satisfaction – more than 71% – of the testers.
New for February 22 is the addition of the new Bing to the Edge and Bing apps, available on iOS and Android. Once again, Microsoft deprives Safari or Chrome users of its AI, while ChatGPT works on all devices. Its purpose is to artificially inflate downloads of its apps, although the method is questionable. It is possible to circumvent the limit on computer (by changing the user agent of your computer), but it is impossible on mobile.
One of the major developments is the arrival of a voice mode, which allows you to chat with Bing by speaking, as you would with Siri or Google Assistant. A small button in the shape of a microphone allows you to speak, the AI then responds with a synthetic voice (female, if you are wondering). Given his incredible ability to create coherent responses, despite the restrictions, it’s hard not to be seduced by this possibility.
A very disappointing first attempt
Obviously, Numerama tried the new Bing on mobile. The result is very frustrating:
- The application, first of all, lacks fluidity. Everything seems slow in Bingeven touching a response seems to cause latency.
- The launch of voice control also takes several seconds, then often stops before the end of the first question.
- Bing reads the beginning of his answer, then stops, then resumes, then stops…
- We were sometimes forced to answer with the keyboard, since the voice function no longer worked.
- Finally, we had the same problems as on computer since the beginning of the restrictions, namely Bing which refuses to answer as soon as we ask it something a little complicated to avoid slipping.
In short, Microsoft once again seems to have gone too fast. How can the creator of Windows and Office launch such unfinished software?
Bing also arrives in Skype
Thanks to its collaboration with OpenAI, Microsoft seems to have set out to boost the audience of all its declining applications. After Bing, Skype’s turn to welcome ChatGPT. By calling @Bing in a conversation, we will soon be able to ask the robot a question. It’s also attractive, but Skype is much less used than WhatsApp or Messenger.
While waiting to correct the problems that drove the first Bing crazy, can Microsoft succeed in recreating envy with the arrival of this mobile version? Let’s hope so for him, but everything now suggests that the software giant is moving forward without really knowing where it is going. For its part, Google says it wants to take the time. Hard to fault him.
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