Yahoo! unveiled a new version of its mobile search service, allowing users to initiate searches faster using text or voice. 
Yahoo! also plans to provide greater relevance through richer, more detailed search results by opening up Yahoo! oneSearch to publishers to integrate content, simplify search input with Search Assist and voice-enabled search, and make search instantly accessible on the idle screen of many phones.
Open search results are expected to debut with initial partners in Q2 2008.
Some of the key enhancements include:
- Predictive text completion – as you begin to type, Search Assist surfaces the most common search queries in real time that match the letters you have submitted so far. As soon as you see a query that matches what you were typing, select it and your results are returned.
- Contextual recommendations Search Assist is intelligent enough to recommend more refined results than your initial query. At launch, Search Assist is available for the iPhone and is expected to become available on additional AJAX-compatible devices over the coming months.
Yahoo! said that with the voice-enabled version of oneSearch, users can search for anything, including flight numbers, locations, Web site names, local restaurants, and more, by simply speaking. Key features include:
- Wide-open voice-enabled mobile search – Speak anything and get relevant results returned through oneSearch.
- Personalizes to your voice – Voice-enabled Yahoo! oneSearch adapts to your voice the more you use it.
- Multi-modal input – Allows users to switch between speaking and typing at any time, enabling consumers easy access to refine queries.
http://mobile.yahoo.com/newsroom