We’ve received multiple (if thin) reports that Apple is working on a search engine of some sort.
At first glance, the rumors make sense. Apple’s Safari browser has 6-7% market share, and currently uses Google as the search engine for both the standard and iPhone/iPod versions (unlike other browsers, you don’t have a choice). They also have a suite of personal productivity tools through Mobile Me that bring some hard core users to their servers daily. All of that traffic and usage equates to a lot of searches, which can be monetized heavily.
Also, Apple can’t be super pleased with Google’s competition to the iPhone with Android. Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who’s also on Apple’s board of directors, sits out of discussions involving Apple’s mobile strategy, and rumor is he may leave the board.
But one important fact that isn’t checking out – if Apple were building a search engine, they’d be hiring search experts and engineers. We’ve talked to a ton of them at all the big companies, and while some of them heard the same rumors, none have lost search employees to Apple, or heard of any specific hirings.
That alone almost certainly rules out a full on search competitor. You can’t do it without people who know what they’re doing.
Apple also loves the fees they receive regularly from Google for search marketing dollars earned from Safari. They obviously aren’t in the advertising business today, so even if they did launch a search engine they’d still heavily rely on Google or its competitors for the advertising piece. So why invest all that capital into search?
The answer is they’re not. But the rumors persist, and we believe they have a nugget of truth. Here’s what we think is really going on: Apple doesn’t like the search experience on its mobile devices, and may be building a radically different user experience which is much more visual than exists today. It will likely still be powered by Google results, but Apple may present it in a very different way that suits mobile users much better.
Stay tuned for more. There are pieces of this we are still putting together.
Perhaps they will be creating branded search engine with a few bells and whistles – but one that is still powered by Google.
In this economy, one should really think twice about attempting to build a Google competitor.
Just use MSN as an example
you are right in some point. but its not good for apple if so.
The secret of Steve Job’s success? What does this page tell you. Sorry Apple fans, if this doesn’t fit your worldview. Your buying the Apples, not me.
End of the day what you need is what you must get let it me MSN or Google or Yahoo… what the business means is who get how much market share? pretty simple in my sense…
http://dabberde...mple-works.html
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They should try concentrating on perfecting their half baked products first before they jump into the Search Engine pool.
I don’t think Apple would build something if they are not sure it would be unique in its own way.
Thus, if this is true I am eager to see what will they come up with.
could not agree more , like if they are doing , sure they will pass the info ?
i guess search engine to iphone.
I would definitely agree with that. They’ve always tried to push the envelope in every other area they’ve jumped into, so it would make sense for it to hold true if they venture into web browser territory. I can’t imagine how else they would approach web browsing, but that’s probably why I don’t develop for them!
Jake
NoteScribe: Premier Note Taking Software
Apple steps up where Yahoo and MS have failed. Go baby.
yes it is
yes they can
As long as it’s not called Cuil and behaves nothing like it, Apple might have a fighting chance. They seem to have a talent at making us need prettier versions of things we already have.
maybe they are going to buy yahoo instead.
Not a chance, Mike has it right though about some kind of unique user experience for Mobile, which Google doesn’t deliver today, specifically tailored for the iphone/touch.
Nice post.
Building A Search Engine?
I don’t think so.
I don’t think Apple would build something if they are not sure it would be unique in its own way.
Thus, if this is true I am eager to see what will they come up with. I am sure it will be brilliant.
Really? I would like to show you exhibit A: The CUBE.. yeah (don’t hold your breathe on that one)
and the Safari browser is far from being unique.. so if it’s true don’t expect the search engine to be nothing more then a search engine with apple’s name on it.
Search engine by Apple! Hey you Apple guys-you need to learn something from what is called CUILL…
The future is visual
the future is location. they should be making an engine. music sales appear to be nearing an end. the ipod was just a fancy walkman. the iphone was a fancy toy to show off to friends. most people waste time on there i phone. not many people are gonna make a living playing with an iphone. fun and games are over now its time to get some work done, i wanna see some hands gettin’ dirty. its time to wash the dishes, take out the trash and feed the dog.
WorkLocator.com – productivity rules
The search default on the iPhone is Google, but you can change it to Yahoo in General Settings-> Safari.
Search engine by Apple! Why not?
Bring it on, fellas!
I seem to be using the Firefox plugin Cooliris (and iPhone application) more and more to visually search for everything: news, shopping, etc. Something like this built into Safari would be good…
If you haven’t seen it do check it out, it really is worth it. (no, I have nothing to do with them, I’m just a user).
Agree – it’s great
wow that Cooliris plugin is amazing. apparently it also comes as a safari plugin…
it also makes youtube searching a billion times better
Personally, I think the latter explanation / theory makes the most sense; Apple are looking to re-imagine the search experience.
With the help of Google and their various APIs — plus Apple being Apple, they would probably gain access to Google’s stuff in ways others wouldn’t — Apple could build a new UI around the results, or even alter the structure of the search results themselves…
It seems unlikely that they are building their own search engine, it’s beyond their focus and an incredibly complex and expensive undertaking; more likely that they will build an Apple-branded search engine that uses results from Google, including Google’s ads, but tries to direct users more towards Apple resources. If you search for “Britney Spears” in the Safari toolbar, it’d be nice if links to iTunes showed up at the top. Apple’s lack of a web-content model for their paid content has always been a detriment to their ability to leverage search towards additional revenue.
Apple could be working on a variety of possiblities. The search engine war is going crazy over the future they see in the mobile market. I think Apple is definitely not pleased with Google’s G1.
If I were Apple CEO, I would start working seriously on the search user experience, which has a lot of improving to do, while relying on search results provided by the various engines out there. Yahoo’s BOSS technology comes into mind along with MSFT’s live, Google, Ask.com etc. They could create a search engine market place that would either allow users to select the engine of their choice or rely on Apple to provide results from the most suitable SE, depending on the search term.
Playing all search engines against each other is only possible for the Apple’s of today. I see Apple leading the cellular wave of the future (they already are), so everyone would want to partner with them. Why would they choose only one?
you are not apples CEO
Place me in the doubt it group. Unless they purchase About.com – run it as a sub*. Apple’s About.com has a certain ring to it.
Based on Apple’s track record, it’ll probably only search Apple.com.
Why don’t they rather buy Yahoo at $1 per share
Maybe not at that price but would be a quick way to acquire a search engine!
I think Apple knows its strengths and weaknesses, and a search engine is a far stretch from their comfort zone.
Apple is too busy with its funky products to be bothered about a search engines although it would be nice to see competition again.
Uhm…a closed search engine?
It is a ripe time to create a useful search product. Google and Yahoo search are spammy and outdated based on silly results like links. Its time for a search that is based more on social referrals and influence than, easy-to-game back links.
Well, I doubt that they’d beat Google…
All the same, we’re tracking this prediction on Nostradamical – here:
http://www.nost...-engine-in-2-9-
(Still in Beta – sign up with TECHCRUNCH promo code)
Currently 18% likeihood. Who knows.
very nice
maybe a search engine just for mobile user… in the future, we’ll be saying… go Apple it! no more Google it!
We now enter a phase where search engines, as a commodity, simply become another web service. It would therefore be perfect for Apple to do what they do best: create a killer user experience that sizzles — for a market they already control!
May be they will revamp Sherlock?
You can change search engine in Safari by using http://www.inquisitorx.com/
What the hell is the point to write this then if you know they’re not? Perpetuating the rumors?
You say yes and then you say no. Nice work.
One thing that comes to mind is the ease with which you can browse photos and songs in iphone.
iSearch anyone ?
Okay Live Search hasn’t even entered into this discussion once so far… but I think it’s worth a mention. Just becuase it’s losing market share doesn’t mean it’s a bad product, in fact I would say Live results passed Yahoo long ago in terms of accuracy and are now pretty close to Google.
your dead on with the accuracy part. yahoo is starting to lag, and live search is picking up in all sorts of ways. its just unfortunate people cant stop thinking about the past
I think the writer is correct, in the search market to make waves you would now have to invest a ton of cash and throw a ton of people at it, even those that do know what their doing find it hard to make it, one word, Cuil
Apple can’t be happy with Google so they will do the thing they know best, make google look and work better visually, design is Apples thing is it not?
Also they can trade mark the way they design it and make it work so Google can’t use the technology on their own phone even though it will be their data on the backend of the Apple app.
Why would Google allow this, the money that the huge amount of iPhone users is bringing to Google.
They are all businesses, all in it for the money and they all cannot provide the SAME thing, as the search results are effectively free to the end user there is no competition on price so it has to be service.
I guess you can look forward to an interesting search app from apple.
What do you want to enter this market …..
I think it would only work on the MAC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i don’t think Apple will be able to build farm made of mac.. those babies are expensive
Apple should acquire Cuil.
The barrier to entry is too great for them to build one from the ground up. Also they are used to nice fat margins, which may be tough in the search world.
As other posters suggest I could see them building a novel interface to existing search services. It would be similar to their efforts building the various iApps. A handful of developers can pull it off, but it helps sell the main product (hardware).
>In this economy, one should really think twice about attempting to build a Google competitor.
yeah this is true, to build a good search engine the will need a hudge amount of money, and not a fact that the search engine will be successfull, but it can be a good try
For Apple it doesn’t need to be a good search engine. It will simply be flashy, have half the functionality of its nearest competitor, and, it will be over hyped by commercials that completely exaggerate the truth. Far off?
Perhaps they believe that iPhone apps will become as common as websites.
If that’s the case, then reinventing the search experience seems to be “relevant”, as the relevancy (criteria / context) of iPhone apps to mobile users will be almost entirely different than the relevancy that web pages are to mobile users.
Another baseless rumour posted to get links. Remember Digg sale story and Stumbleupon sale story.
Not just a search engine but an ecommerce powerhouse.
With an iTunes browser, Apple could provide the billing platform for all types of mobile content (songs, coupons, tickets etc)
http://theponde...powerhouse.html
Maybe apple is interested in buying yahoo and improving their search tool!
First start by improving apple.com site search.
If you want a fast way to search all those engines, just get Informant from the App Store.
Why in one breadth do you say yahoo needs to get out of the search business (w/ 20% of the market) and in the other suggest that it’s prudent for Apple to get into the search business (w/ max 6-7% share, which I think is a huge overestimation) ?
We’ve already seen what happens when Apple tries to build a web-based product with their me product – why would this make sense?
This blog is just all over the map.
Apple already has a search engine. It’s not a Web search engine. And Apple is working on this search engine to extend its capabilities. It may soon be able to search “The Cloud.”
By the way, the search engine is called “Spotlight.”
Incorrect. For iPhone and iPod touch: Settings>Safari>Search Engine: Choose “Google” or “Yahoo!”