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Home > Plugged In > Archives > 2008 > April > 02 > Entry
Wireless: Yahoo planning new mobile search service
LAS VEGAS - A year after launching its “oneSearch” search engine for cell phones, Yahoo just announced at the CTIA wireless industry conference here that it is refreshing the software with some new bells and whistles. It plans to roll out the new oneSearch 2.0 this summer with its wireless partners.
Coolest of the features is new voice-activated search technology, so you don’t have to try and type in that business name or restaurant you’re looking for on a tiny keyboard while you’re speeding down the highway. “Semantic search” technology makes it even more useful. Say “March Madness,” for instance, and you’ll get latest NCAA tournament scores and game schedules, according to Yahoo. Say “British Airways 287” and you’ll get current flight information.
If you do want to type your search query, a new predictive text feature will help you complete your searches quickly. Type in “Hil,” for instance, and you’ll get suggestions for Hillary Clinton, Hillary Duff and others.
Yahoo is betting big on the mobile search to help it make up ground it lost to Google in recent years. Google too, of course, isn’t ignoring the mobile search business. It’s “Goog411” service also offers voice-activated search for cell phones.
Many analysts and others say Yahoo may have the lead in mobile search technology, however. In a keynote presentation that just wrapped up here, Yahoo executive vice president Marco Boerries said the company already has partnerships with 29 wireless companies with 600 million subscribers. Yahoo’s strength in mobile search, in fact, is one of the big reasons why Microsoft Corp. wants to buy the company.
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