Windows Live Search has been running their standalone voice-activated search and location app on BlackBerry since mid-July, but it looks like that partnership is going to deepen further, as RIM has announced that Windows Live Search will be powering local search within the BlackBerry Maps application, as well as being built into the Browser (presumably as an option from the home screen’s drop-down menu, right beside Google, Wikipedia, and Dictionary.com). While the Browser integration isn’t that big of a deal, being built into the native GPS app is pretty huge, especially considering the close relationship RIM has had with Google lately. Right now the Yellow Pages handles local search on BlackBerry, which are going to be some pretty big shoes to fill, unless Microsoft can somehow integrate the same search results with their own. A big OS patch is rumored to be coming out this month, which could be when we see the updated software.
[via RIM]