Microsoft brings ChatGPT-powered search engine to Apple and Android mobile devices

Microsoft Corporation announced that it is rolling out the mobile versions of its ChatGPT-powered Bing and Edge browser apps on Apple and Android mobile devices.

In a blog post on Wednesday (22 February), Microsoft said it is releasing new versions of its Bing app and Edge browser app for smartphones and tablets so users can access the upgraded search engine while on the go. 

"Because we know 64% of searches occur on mobile phones, we are releasing all new Bing and Edge mobile apps to serve as your copilot for the web even when you are away from your desktop," Microsoft corporate VP and consumer CMO Yusuf Mehdi said in the blog post.

Microsoft first introduced the new Bing, which runs an enhanced version of OpenAI's ChatGPT, along with its improved Edge browser only on laptops and desktop computers on 7 February.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, The move is the next step in Microsoft's effort to capture market share in the search advertising market from rival Google.

Google has a firm grip on the search market, controlling 85% of the global market share on desktop computers and 96% of the search market on smartphones thanks to its Android operating system. Bing currently holds just 8.9% of the desktop market and 0.48% of the mobile market.