14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 8.1 is now available for all users worldwide, either as an update or as a separate download, with Microsoft encouraging everyone to deploy it as soon as possible.
While Windows 8.1 indeed comes with lots of improvements, Redmond is also working on some new features, some of which are based on the existing capabilities of the operating system.
For example, Microsoft announced that as part of its new ad experience, it would also integrate advertisements in the Bing Smart Search feature included in Windows 8.1
“As my colleague David Pann shared over the summer now in Windows 8.1, with one search, consumers can look for information across the web, device, apps and cloud. Bing Ads are an integral part of this experience and will help people find relevant information to help them get things done,” Microsoft’s Greg Nelson said in a post.
“When an advertiser makes a buy on Bing Ads, their search ads will be eligible to be shown within the web search results of Smart Search with no additional set-up.”
Nelson explained that ads would appear only via Smart Search when user searches the Internet for specific information. What’s more, to make sure that no privacy concerns exist, he also pointed out that locally stored content has nothing to do with ads, with suggestions provided just like on the standard Bing.com search engine. Based on your previous searches and web activity, that is.
“These ads only appear when a person searches the internet for results via Smart Search. The ads are based on keywords the consumer enters into the Search Box, just like when a person searches on Bing.com and other web search engines. Ads are not served based on information, files or content stored on your device. We are making this decision to make it simpler for people to search to web when using Windows 8.1,” he explained.