Apple Explains Why It Doesn't Plan to Create a Search Engine

[MacRumors]

Apple's senior vice president of services Eddy Cue has explained why the iPhone maker does not plan to create a search engine like Google.

In a declaration filed with a U.S. federal court in Washington, D.C. last week, Cue said Apple is against the idea for the following reasons:

• The development of a search engine would cost Apple "billions of dollars" and "take many years," and this would divert investment money and employees away from "other growth areas" that the company is focused on.
• The search business is "rapidly evolving" due to artificial intelligence, so it would be "economically risky" for Apple to create a search engine.
• In order to create a "viable" search engine business, Apple would be required to "sell targeted advertising," which is "not a core business" for the company and would go against its "longstanding privacy commitments."
• Apple does not have enough "specialized professionals" and "operational infrastructure" needed to build and run a successful search engine business.

Earlier this year, as part of the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust trial against Google, the court declared that the deal that sees Google set as the default search engine in Apple's web browser Safari is illegal. In his declaration, Cue asked the court to allow Apple to defend the deal by having its own witnesses testify during the trial.

"Only Apple can speak to what kinds of future collaborations can best serve its users," wrote Cue. "Apple is relentlessly focused on creating the best user experience possible and explores potential partnerships and arrangements with other companies to make that happen."

As part of the deal, Cue revealed that Google paid Apple roughly $20 billion in 2022 alone.

If the agreement can no longer continue, Cue said "it would hamstring Apple's ability to continue delivering products that best serve its users' needs."

The declaration was earlier reported by Reuters.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Apple Explains Why It Doesn't Plan to Create a Search Engine

 

[CPmav]

I laughed at this part:

“If the agreement can no longer continue, Cue said “it would hamstring Apple's ability to continue delivering products that best serve its users' needs."

I think Apple will survive without it lol

 

[SanderEvers]

I laughed at this part:

“If the agreement can no longer continue, Cue said “it would hamstring Apple's ability to continue delivering products that best serve its users' needs."

I think Apple will survive without it lol

It would remove web search from Apple devices, and it WILL slow down development of Safari. That includes improvements to security and privacy. Same thing will happen to FireFox as well.

 

[DCstewieG]

It would remove web search from Apple devices

O RLY

 

[marinersaptcomplex]

Meh. Hoping ChatGPT search becomes a native search engine choice for iOS/Safari. Google is too cluttered with SEO articles that game the algorithm, and their solution to that is rolling out these “helpful content” algorithm updates that just push people to Reddit…

 

[ProbablyDylan]

It would remove web search from Apple devices

Except it wouldn't. In the linked declaration, Eddie Cue specifies that removing Google Search (and only Google Search) is an option that Apple would have, amongst others - like "letting Google access our users for free" (paraphrasing).

 

[arc of the universe]

cue's written words seem to me to be legally crafted only for the purpose of defending apple against fallout from apple participating in granting google dominance in search on apple devices.

that, or, just simply an admission that apple missed three huge tech waves:
search
maps
AI.

 

[davide_eu]

Meh. Hoping ChatGPT search becomes a native search engine choice for iOS/Safari. Google is too cluttered with SEO articles that game the algorithm, and their solution to that is rolling out these “helpful content” algorithm updates that just push people to Reddit…

Don't you believe there will be technologies to "hack" ai as we are doing with SEO?

 

[robd003]

I've never understood why they can't just mollify any of these anti-trust lawsuits by just asking the user what search engine they want on initial device setup. Just have a randomly ordered list of the top search engines that are generally used.

Bing
Brave
Ecosia
Google
Mojeek
Presearch
Yandex

 

[cicalinarrot]

ChatGPT replaced Google in my life, hope Apples just integrates search into something similar or better.

 

[Plutonius]

Why bother.

There are already good search alternatives and I doubt it will be profitable for Apple.

Besides, Apple often seems to have problems doing all that they currently do .

 

[budselectjr]

They couldn’t do their excellent quality control and bug testing on all their OSs if they had to put resources into search

 

[pianophile]

The search business is "rapidly evolving"

Yes, and Google is no longer a very good search engine, imho. Apple should keep their options open.

 

[marinersaptcomplex]

Don't you believe there will be technologies to "hack" ai as we are doing with SEO?

There will be. I haven’t see a definitive handbook—yet.

 

[OnePieceIsReal]

At least on iOS safari let us choose our own search engine, been enjoying search.brave.com more than DuckDuckGo recently and sick there is no real option on safari

 

[peneaux]

why build an engine if Google will continue paying +20 BILLIONS a year? It's about money.

If they wanted, the could buy a smaller company like DDG or KIGO (or something like it. Can't remember but it's a paid one).

 

[ProbablyDylan]

At least on iOS safari let us choose our own search engine, been enjoying search.brave.com more than DuckDuckGo recently and sick there is no real option on safari

let me set Kagi as default you cowards!

 

[iBreatheApple]

Can you also explain why Siri is still dumb?

 

[vantelimus]

I laughed at this part:

“If the agreement can no longer continue, Cue said “it would hamstring Apple's ability to continue delivering products that best serve its users' needs."

I think Apple will survive without it lol

That $20 billion in 2022 went a long way. Consider that Apple had a profit of approximately $100 billion. That loss of $20 billion comes from somewhere. Apple spent $26.25 billion on R&D and $25 billion on SG&A. Cost of sales won't be hit much. Would customers be happy (and how long would Apple stay competitive) if that $20 billion came out of R&D? What investors would be happy if Apple's profit were suddenly cut 20%.

"Hamstring" might be a hyperbolic phrase, but losing 5% of revenue is not a trivial matter.

 

[segfaultdotorg]

Think of all the people who would buy an iSearch Pro subscription! Like moths to a flame.

 

[mansplains]

The development of a search engine would cost Apple "billions of dollars" and "take many years," and this would divert investment money and employees away from "other growth areas" that the company is focused on.

Growth areas like the camera growth on iPhones

 

[Remy149]

I've never understood why they can't just mollify any of these anti-trust lawsuits by just asking the user what search engine they want on initial device setup. Just have a randomly ordered list of the top search engines that are generally used.

Bing
Brave
Ecosia
Google
Mojeek
Presearch
Yandex

It’s because a majority of the times users pick Google when they have other options. They claim Google monopoly is why it’s a better product most people gravitate to. In the Eu users actually have to make a choice and Google is still what’s used the most.

 

[Arsenikdote]

cue's written words seem to me to be legally crafted only for the purpose of defending apple against fallout from apple participating in granting google dominance in search on apple devices.

that, or, just simply an admission that apple missed three huge tech waves:
search
maps
AI.

I don't think they "missed" search. In order to generate revenue in search your only option is to generate your revenue from ads. Apple doesn't want a large portion of their revenue to come from ads. They are a hardware/services business not a ad/marketing business. They are staying core to who they are and it is working as indicated by their growth and size. Did they miss the other two? Maps FOR SURE but AI....we will see. I would be shocked if we don't have an AI bubble burst in the next year or three. Apple taking a cautious approach I think will be good in the long run, which is typically the space they play in.

 

[mansplains]

At least on iOS safari let us choose our own search engine, been enjoying search.brave.com more than DuckDuckGo recently and sick there is no real option on safari

I bought xSearch (AppStore Link) to enable easy site searches within Safari on my iPhone. On desktop I primarily use Arc and have site searches there, this is close enough for mobile.

let me set Kagi as default you cowards!

I use Kagi with the above from time to time. I wanna get into Kagi more but Perplexity has really taken over search for me in general. I sometimes mess with Kagi's Orion browser since it supports Chrome extensions while within WebKit.

 

[Harry Haller]

“The development of a search engine would cost Apple "billions of dollars" and "take many years,"

So, like the Apple Car.
But with an actual product.
Too much courage I suppose.
Anyway $20B from evil Google without lifting a finger is a thing.