Is Apple building a search engine?

[weblord]

Rumor has it over at TechCrunch that Apple is working on some type of search engine.

If you think about it, the idea is not so far-fetched: Apple’s Safari browser has 6-7% market share and currently uses Google exclusively as the search engine for both the standard and mobile versions on the iPhone and iPod. Through the maligned MobileMe, Apple has a suite of personal productivity tools that bring more traffic to them on a daily basis, which means there is a lot of searching going on without a lot of monetization on Apple’s part, according to Michael Arrington.

Plus, there’s the Android factor.

Google’s Android-y competition to the iPhone is not to be ignored. Arrington notes that Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who sits on Apple’s board of directors, usually sits out of discussions involving Apple’s mobile strategy.

Big hole in the theory, though: if, in fact, Apple were building a search engine, where are all the search expert and engineer hires? No one’s losing any bodies to Apple…yet.

Plus, Apple is on the receiving end of considerable fees from Google for search marketing money earned from Safari — and without an advertising business, too, Google would still be relied upon.

So it looks like there’s no full-scale search momentum going on at Apple — but for a company built around innovation and UI (and marketing), perhaps this is working toward a new interface built around search.

What do you think?

More:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=508

 

[shockie]

it's an interesting idea to have apple create its own search engine, but my guess would be that there will be a lot of hype and will end up being just another flop.

 

[dezinerite]

Wouldn't surprise me quite honestly. But it would be tough to get people to start moving away from Google.

Completely agree with shockie.

 

[Isabella_Smith]

Its attractive that apple launching search engine. Apple is new in this field and Google, Yahoo, Msn they are giant. So presently its not a big issue but soon he will be ready to compete them, as he is armed enough.

 

[shockie]

Its attractive that apple launching search engine. Apple is new in this field and Google, Yahoo, Msn they are giant. So presently its not a big issue but soon he will be ready to compete them, as he is armed enough.

if yahoo and microsoft is having so much trouble competing with google, what makes you think apple can?

 

[thebutler]

Phones

Building an Apple search engine that would be developed along with iphones would be a long term money maker for Apple.

In a few years (if not today) you'll ask your phone to find you Bran Flakes cereal on sale within two blocks of your house. It'll pull up a result along with paid search ads.

 

[shockie]

if apple gives people the choice between their search engine and using any of gym on the iphone, then i'm pretty sure they'll go for gym.

 

[Keral_Patel]

Apple has the reach. If apple is using google then their inhouse search will definitely earn them more then they are earning now

 

[Mesa SEO Solutions]

Wow... I sure hope that they do... That would be so very interesting.

 

[Plastic Blaster]

Wow... I sure hope that they do... That would be so very interesting.

I would agree. A very interesting idea.

 

[ameRie]

oh that's really something, they keep trying to beat out Google which is impossible.

 

[SiberForum]

I'm sure that they will keep trying to beat google for a long time

 

[Kryvast]

Perhaps Apple should not create its own search engine instead acquire the established one, Yes I'm talking about Yahoo.

5 Reasons Why Apple Will Buy Yahoo
http://www.itproportal.com/articles/2008/11/16/5-reasons-why-apple-will-buy-yahoo-ultimately/

 

[Domain Dabbler]

hmmm For reasons I won't bother type... I know first hand that Steve Jobs has been interested in semantical tools for decades. I watched him demo some amazing technology 15 years or so ago that I've never seen or heard about since... I've wondered 1000 times what became of that work... he was so jazzed about it, I doubt he just dropped it. That meshes with this story....

On the other hand there is one BIG piece of counter evidence. If Apple where to launch its own search engine, it would (because Jobs is Jobs) have to spider a wider hunk of the net than google. -- I find it unfathomable that this much spidering has been going on and nobody noticed. Especially if it was attached to an Apple IP range.

 

[milvos]

With the success of iphones and ipods I think it would make sense for apple to try some other form of search or browsing interface which eventually could provide some competition to google search.