On Monday, BING introduced something new: visual search. So instead of returning text and thumbnails you receive a batch of images to select from. Try it here. (There's software to download but it's quick.) Visual search is still very much in Beta, but looking ahead, it's pretty obvious to see how this idea could eventually really refine the search experience.
Visual search places the product in front of the brand. And while choosing by product visual first isn't necessarily relevant for every industry (banking) it could be very important in others (automotive).
What I like about visual search isn't the fact that we are reading less and less but rather that photography and visual imagery are universal ideas that, as a society, we can bank on in the future.
If we think about photography, it will always represent the idea that no matter where we are, we can quickly transport ourselves somewhere else. To a place or a mindset. And until we can beam ourselves around, a la Star Trek, that desire will always be needed.
If we think about imagery, it unifies. There are 6,809 languages in the world but post a simple visual representation and you can talk to everyone.
We are a visual world. And no matter how technology and science and innovation shape our future, there will always be a need to surround ideas with photography and visualization. So, the more visual brands can think, the better. And the more fun.