diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7e1c63b..9c23673 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -256,6 +256,11 @@ A service you can inject in your controller to show the filter bar
     should be considered a match.  This is the same as the angular filter `comparator` argument described [here](https://docs.angularjs.org/api/ng/filter/filter).  
     Default value is `undefined`.
     
+  - `{string=}` `searchType`
+
+    A string which sets the HTML5 search input type. Examples include search, text, email, tel, number, date, month, password. Full list available [here](http://ionicframework.com/html5-input-types/).
+    Default value is `search`.
+    
   - `[String]` `filterProperties`
 
     A string or string array of object properties that will be used to create a filterExpression object for
diff --git a/dist/ionic.filter.bar.js b/dist/ionic.filter.bar.js
index b7e9e87..c8b72e8 100644
--- a/dist/ionic.filter.bar.js
+++ b/dist/ionic.filter.bar.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ angular.module('jett.ionic.filter.bar', ['ionic']);
               '<div class="bar bar-header bar-{{::config.theme}} item-input-inset">' +
                 '<button class="filter-bar-cancel button button-icon icon {{::config.back}}"></button>' +
                 '<label class="item-input-wrapper">' +
-                  '<input type="search" class="filter-bar-search" ng-model="data.filterText" placeholder="{{::config.placeholder}}" />' +
+                  '<input type="{{::searchType}}" class="filter-bar-search" ng-model="data.filterText" placeholder="{{::config.placeholder}}" />' +
                   '<button class="filter-bar-clear button button-icon icon" ng-class="getClearButtonClass()"></button>' +
                 '</label>' +
               '</div>' +
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ angular.module('jett.ionic.filter.bar', ['ionic']);
               '<div class="bar bar-header bar-{{::config.theme}} item-input-inset">' +
                 '<label class="item-input-wrapper">' +
                   '<i class="icon {{::config.search}} placeholder-icon"></i>' +
-                  '<input type="search" class="filter-bar-search" ng-model="data.filterText" placeholder="{{::config.placeholder}}"/>' +
+                  '<input type="{{::searchType}}" class="filter-bar-search" ng-model="data.filterText" placeholder="{{::config.placeholder}}"/>' +
                   '<button class="filter-bar-clear button button-icon icon" ng-class="getClearButtonClass()"></button>' +
                 '</label>' +
                 '<button class="filter-bar-cancel button button-clear" ng-bind-html="::cancelText"></button>' +
@@ -438,7 +438,8 @@ angular.module('jett.ionic.filter.bar', ['ionic']);
             favoritesTitle: 'Favorite Searches',
             favoritesAddPlaceholder: 'Add a search term',
             favoritesEnabled: false,
-            favoritesKey: 'ionic_filter_bar_favorites'
+            favoritesKey: 'ionic_filter_bar_favorites',
+            searchType: 'search'
           }, opts);
 
           scope.data = {filterText: ''};
@@ -535,7 +536,7 @@ angular.module('jett.ionic.filter.bar', ['ionic']);
 
             // pass back original list if filterText is empty.
             // Otherwise filter by expression, supplied properties, or filterText.
-            if (!filterText.length) {
+            if (!(filterText.toString().length)) {
               filteredItems = scope.items;
             } else {
               if (scope.expression) {