Apple Building a Search Engine? Probably Not.

MacRumors · Nov 13, 2008, 07:09 AM

TechCrunch suggests and then dismisses the possibility that Apple may be building a search engine.

According to the site, they had heard some reports that Apple might be working on a search engine, but thus far the evidence does not seem to pan out:

Quote:

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.

TechCrunch speculates that the rumors may simply be a product of Apple building a better mobile search interface without reinventing the entire search engine.

Article Link: Apple Building a Search Engine? Probably Not.

millar876 · 07:43 AM

Not that surprised realy, they seem to have a good relationship with Google and one of the best integrated searches i've seen (in safari)

sammich · Nov 13, 2008, 07:37 AM

Step 1: Make up a rumor without much evidence
Step 2: Write up an article regarding this said rumor
Step 3: Debunk your own rumor. Credibility intact, site traffic increased slightly

illitrate23 · Nov 13, 2008, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammich

Step 1: Make up a rumor without much evidence
Step 2: Write up an article regarding this said rumor
Step 3: Debunk your own rumor. Credibility intact, site traffic increased slightly

i was going to say something along the same lines
must be a slow news day at TechCrunch

brasscat · Nov 13, 2008, 08:02 AM

I heard Apple is coming out with a FREE unibody laptop.
Apple says that's NOT true.
Let's write about that.
Let's write about what I just wrote about.
NEWS!

Kilamite · Nov 13, 2008, 08:07 AM

Google is the king of searches. I'd see no reason for Apple to compete with the search engine giant - it is free to search. It wouldn't benefit anyone, unless Apple made profit on ads, which they avoid.

Shasterball · Nov 13, 2008, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammich

Step 1: Make up a rumor without much evidence
Step 2: Write up an article regarding this said rumor
Step 3: Debunk your own rumor. Credibility intact, site traffic increased slightly

They also broke the story that Apple was building a space shuttle. And then they debunked it.

xUKHCx · Nov 13, 2008, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millar876

Not that surprised realy, they seem to have a good relationship with Google and one of the best integrated searches i've seen (in safari)

It really isn't better than other browsers with integreated searches such as Opera, Firefox, camino etc. In fact the way Safari doesn't search google/other specified search provider from the address bar makes it worse.

It could also be applied to other things such as iTunes store becuase I find that search to be pretty poor. If they improve the searching there they improve the potential revenue.

BlueRevolution · Nov 13, 2008, 10:30 AM

Now where are these elevator search engine unboxing photos? This has to be the lamest, least credible rumour since somebody got it into their head that Apple would be building a gaming console...

Quote:

Originally Posted by xUKHCx

It really isn't better than other browsers with integreated searches such as Opera, Firefox, camino etc. In fact the way Safari doesn't search google/other specified search provider from the address bar makes it worse.

Maybe not for you...

DMann · Nov 13, 2008, 11:20 AM

Once ZFS is implemented in Snow Leopard, system-wide search will improve dramatically.

sfh · Nov 13, 2008, 12:08 PM

slow news day i guess

nagromme · Nov 13, 2008, 01:44 PM

iPhone Google search results could certainly use an iPhone-specific interface. They do the job, but images especially are a pain--the link to change to image search is tucked in the corner, and then the results are formatted in a wide rather than tall array. Google has their own iPhone app for searching already, and maybe Apple would like to integrate something similar into mobile Safari (and for Yahoo too).

elppa · Nov 13, 2008, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMann

Once ZFS is implemented in Snow Leopard, system-wide search will improve dramatically.

Actually it won't, the FS will have very little baring at all.

System wide search in OS X Leopard out of the box with spotlight is better than any other OS out there.

funnyent · Nov 13, 2008, 04:40 PM

apple is a great partner with google. they are not going to try to do anything stupid like making their own search engine, because they already use google. there would be no need to.

elppa · Nov 13, 2008, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xUKHCx

It really isn't better than other browsers with integreated searches such as Opera, Firefox, camino etc. In fact the way Safari doesn't search google/other specified search provider from the address bar makes it worse.

It could also be applied to other things such as iTunes store becuase I find that search to be pretty poor. If they improve the searching there they improve the potential revenue.

Where's the sense in that?

It would take resources away from the genius sidebar which everyone switches off immediately.

morespce54 · Nov 21, 2008, 10:05 AM

Great!

Nov 13, 2008, 07:34 AM	#2
millar876 macrumors 6502a Join Date: May 2004 Location: Peterhead, Scotland UK	Not that surprised realy, they seem to have a good relationship with Google and one of the best integrated searches i've seen (in safari) __________________ 20 inch iMac CoreDuo 2.0 2GB 250GB Powerbook G4 12 1.0GHz 120GB iPod, 16GB iPhone Saving for a mac pro, charity/donations accepted/encouraged Last edited by xUKHCx : Nov 13, 2008 at 07:43 AM.

Nov 13, 2008, 07:37 AM	#3
sammich macrumors 68000 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chances are I'm in front of my computer, which is in Sydney, Australia	Step 1: Make up a rumor without much evidence Step 2: Write up an article regarding this said rumor Step 3: Debunk your own rumor. Credibility intact, site traffic increased slightly __________________ You do not own a 15 feet MBP. There has never been a 8.5 metre or 27 feet iMac (great, though I'd need a bigger desk). It's " for inches and ' for feet. Have a nice day

Nov 13, 2008, 08:07 AM	#6
Kilamite macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Scotland	Google is the king of searches. I'd see no reason for Apple to compete with the search engine giant - it is free to search. It wouldn't benefit anyone, unless Apple made profit on ads, which they avoid. __________________ - MacBook Pro Unibody 15" 2.8GHz 'anti-glare' - Apple TV 1TB (work in progress) - iPhone 3G 8GB - MobileMe // OS X 10.6.2

Nov 13, 2008, 11:20 AM	#10
DMann macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: 10023	Once ZFS is implemented in Snow Leopard, system-wide search will improve dramatically. __________________ Think Different - Innovate

Nov 13, 2008, 01:44 PM	#12
nagromme macrumors 601 Join Date: May 2002 Location: Blinking blue dot	iPhone Google search results could certainly use an iPhone-specific interface. They do the job, but images especially are a pain--the link to change to image search is tucked in the corner, and then the results are formatted in a wide rather than tall array. Google has their own iPhone app for searching already, and maybe Apple would like to integrate something similar into mobile Safari (and for Yahoo too). __________________ nagromme Would you like a treatment?

Nov 13, 2008, 08:02 AM	#5
brasscat macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas	I heard Apple is coming out with a FREE unibody laptop. Apple says that's NOT true. Let's write about that. Let's write about what I just wrote about. NEWS!

Nov 13, 2008, 12:08 PM	#11
sfh macrumors regular Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sacramento CA	slow news day i guess

Nov 13, 2008, 04:40 PM	#14
funnyent macrumors member Join Date: Dec 2007	apple is a great partner with google. they are not going to try to do anything stupid like making their own search engine, because they already use google. there would be no need to. __________________ MacBook Pro 2.2Ghz, 2GB RAM, OSX 10.5.5 Final Cut Express 4, iPhone 8 GB www.funnyent.com

Nov 21, 2008, 10:05 AM	#16
morespce54 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Around the World	Great! __________________ ..:.::.:.:.::..:.: Oh, I get it. It's very clever :.:.::.:.:.::.:..:.::..:.::.:..:.::.:.::.:.::.. DO NOT OPERATE YOUR COMPUTER UNDER THE INFLUENCE!

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