Apple may soon introduce its own search engine developed internally, replacing Google in iPhone searches. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in this week’s Power On newsletter, Apple is seriously considering this possibility. That could have a huge impact.
Apple ready to launch its own search engine (instead of Google)
In recent years, Apple has been exploring the idea of creating a own search engine to compete with Google: so much so that he had valued the possibility to purchase Bing from Microsoft, in the recent past. Currently, Apple gets a share of Google’s search advertising revenue: almost eight billion dollars a year. But if it could successfully implement its search engine, it could significantly increase its revenue stream.
While Apple can’t immediately replace Google, it could still generate significant revenue by bringing search in-house. The company has invested in search technologies and has integrated web search into some of its applications. However, their agreement with Google currently binds them to promote Google search.
Currently, Apple has developed a new generation search engine called “Pegasus” for its apps, improving the accuracy of the results. This technology is already present in some Apple apps and will be implemented in others, including the App Store. Apple is gradually expanding its search capabilities. And although the challenge to Google is a difficult undertaking, it hopes to be able to extend its search to the web on iPhones and beyond.
The Spotlight search, which currently also integrates Google search, also includes direct online results. And the fact that Apple has introduced its own services for online advertising suggests that it is considering “getting rid” of Google. But Eddy Cue, Apple’s services executive, said he sees no need to develop his own alternative to Google, given that it offers the best search precision. At least for now.