Update 1 for WP8.1 deletes Google search as an option for IE

The good old debate, which is better, Bing or Google? If I know the majority (and I possibly do), they will most likely be answered “Google.” But since the company own Android, things have been falling out a bit. Apple changed Siri’s database to Bing, as well as their default search, and now, is Microsoft turn. In certain market, the Update 1 for Windows Phone 8.1 will now deletes the option of using Google as the default search engine.

That was taken from the Windows Phone Developer Center web page, Microsoft clearly states that “the only search provider included on the phone is Bing.” But in the market like Russia, Yandex will be the default search engine for Windows Phone. Other markets that do not have any of the options above, manufacture will give users a list of search providers to choose, but did not mention anything about the possibility of Google reappears on that list.

“By default, the only search provider included on the phone is Bing. The search provider used in the browser is always the same as the one launched by the hardware search button. However, in certain markets OEMs must specify a different search provider as the default search provider for Windows Phone. For more information about the default search provider that OEMs must set for these markets, see the section Default search providers for specific markets.

The phone automatically determines whether Bing is supported based on the browser and search language. This language is derived from the default region format, and can be modified by the user. If the phone’s browser and search language are set to a language that Bing supports, any search providers specified by the OEM will be hidden from the Internet Explorer screen in Settings, and both the hardware search button and search in the browser will always use Bing. Partners cannot control or change this determination. Windows Phone reserves the right to update the list of supported languages, and therefore override or hide custom OEM search providers, at any time”-Microsoft

It is understandable why Microsoft like their user to use its own search engine as they expected for the search engine to start making profit in fiscal year 2016, but considered how unattractive Windows Phone is at the moment to consumers (despite Microsoft did a lot of things right), would this move push consumers away from Windows Phone?

Source: WindowsPhoneDevCenter

Via: phoneArena