Microsoft wants to expand its presence in the mobile market by launching a “super app” for iPhone. The Information reports that the tech company’s new app will offer a number of different services on iOS and Android like messaging, shopping, news, and more but the main focus is to challenge Apple and Google’s domination of mobile search.
Microsoft’s “super app” would push Bing on iOS
According to the report, Microsoft is internally considering developing a new one-stop app for iOS like the popular WeChat app by Tencent which combines features like games, news, messaging, and more in a single app.
Microsoft recently considered building a “super app” that could combine shopping, messaging, web search, news feeds and other services in a one-stop smartphone app, in what would be an ambitious move by the software giant to expand further into consumer services, according to people with direct knowledge of the discussions.
It is uncertain if, the company would ever launch such an app but the idea is part of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s efforts to improve the integration of the Bing search engine with its other mobile products. The report states:
Microsoft executives wanted the app to boost the company’s multibillion-dollar advertising business and Bing search, as well as draw more users to Teams messaging and other mobile services.
Currently, Google dominates mobile search because of its multi-billion dollar deal with Apple to be the default search engine across its devices. Previously, Microsoft had bid on this deal but Google always beats the competition.
“The negotiations have typically taken place directly between Nadella and top Apple executives behind closed doors. This leaves “many top Microsoft executives in the dark about the process.”
Having said that, the tech company is hopeful of making headway in closing a deal with Apple because of increasing anti-trust scrutiny of the Apple and Google deal.
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