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Google enables Handwrite for Mobile and Tablet Search .. but not for Windows Phone

Google has just switched on Handwrite mode for Mobile and Tablet Search. Now you can just draw on the screen and search for what ever you need but sadly they have not enabled this for Windows Phone devices. While Microsoft’s various divisions releases their core apps / games for the competition, their competitors don’t see the need to follow suit. ( The reason IMHO : With the low marketshare Windows Phone commands I would not see why Google would want to support the platform with their best asset Google Search ( while we are on that topic they are not too keen on giving us youtube either ) , but with Microsoft there is a huge userbase on Android and iPhone which they can’t ignore.. they tried to at the start , but that didn’t work out too well )

Now I know there will be a few of you who could care less and tell me Bing is better than Google, I just don’t buy that. Right now Google is clearly the leader in Search and bing results ain’t all that great. Bing has improved a lot from where it was a few years ago I will give it that but as far as search goes Google still rules and I refuse to believe I am the only Windows Phone Fan who feels that way. So when I read about Google enabling Handwrite mode for Mobile in iOS5+ devices, Android 2.3+ phones and Android 4.0+ tablets I was disappointed. I tried changing the user agent to see if I could not get it to work but sadly it would not work properly :( .

Would love see what you guys think about this… Do you even care ? Are you perfectly satisfied with Bing on Windows Phone ?

UPDATE : Jaxbot has confirmed to us what Michou said in the comments below by stating

It’s actually a technical limitation; the mouse events on IE9 Mobile are close to useless for developers. Kinda sad :\

Zero

I’m afraid I don’t agree anymore. Google is no longer as good as it used to be and on more ocassions I’ve found Bing to produce better and more accurate search results.

I have switched over to Bing permanently and I’ve never had any issues getting anything.

I guess Google’s search domination is starting to crumble even if the rate of decay slow…
Michou

It’s because WP 7.5 doesn’t support html5 finger tracking.
mattevansc3

I’ve stopped using google as my search engine. If in looking for anything techy you can guarantee the first few pages are for shops selling that item. With Bing I get far less adverts or shop links. Unsurprisingly the only thing I use Google for is shopping as the shopping link is straight forward while Ciao on Bing is a mess.
imowlawns4cheap

I love google search but I have noticed I get the same results with Bing. I also love google maps, wish they could make a google maps app for WP. And as far as youtube goes, well Metrotube does the job for me… [Posted from the 1800PocketPC app]
arunprasad

These days i stopped using google in my desktop, Bing FTW :)
- tick tock
  
  Same here and I like Bing better than Google.
JLJSR427

Bing is the only search engine I use on my phone & desktop.I’m sure Microsoft is not crapping in their pants over this. [Posted from the 1800PocketPC app]
Kiato kid

Seriously who is still using Google,,, I think that Google is very old and full of shops links ,,, unlike Bing in the style and speed and accuracy ,,, Bing is way more awesome than Google [Posted from the 1800PocketPC app]
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Redmisfitx

Google manufactures their search results, Bing actually searches… I do use both but have been increasingly favoring Bing, specially for image searches. [Posted from the 1800PocketPC app]
bigbirdplop

I bugs me that developers don’t create for all platforms from the get go. Yes it takes more time, but would it not benefit them more in the long run? You see ads all the time that say ‘download the app’ but you never see the windows phone marketplace logo. Maybe that’s different in other regions, but certainly in Ireland its true. Google certainly has the knowledge and funds to make amazing apps for windows. So why don’t they? I can’t answer, but I know something certainly doesn’t add up! [Posted from the 1800PocketPC app]
Arg410

I will use Bing and Google, burning is better because they have rewards, you get paid to search the web. Go bing [Posted from the 1800PocketPC app]
http://www.zetta.net/ Travis Ehrenstrom

I tried to enable handwrite on my iPhone but had a really difficult time finding it.

I agree that Google is hurting themselves by not releasing the search engine on all platforms simultaneously.

I have spent very little time with Bing but from my limited experience I have not found anything that it offers that has convinced me to switch away from Google.

Thanks for the great post!