Apple is reportedly working on its own search engine.
According to the Financial Times, iOS 14, Apple has begun to show its own search results and link directly to websites when users type queries from its home screen.
“That web search capability marks an important advance in Apple’s in-house development,” says the Financial Times, “and could form the foundation of a fuller attack on Google, according to several people in the industry.”
This would be a big hit to Google which pays Apple between $10b and $12b a year to be the main search provider on Apple devices.
However, that deal will soon expire and a reported antitrust case against Google by the US Department of Justice could prevent its extension.
The only issue Apple will have after becoming a search giant would be its commitment to privacy. In an open letter to its customers, Apple CEO Tim Cook once said: “Our business model is very straightforward: We sell great products. We don’t build a profile based on your email content or web browsing habits to sell to advertisers. We don’t “monetize” the information you store on your iPhone or in iCloud. And we don’t read your email or your messages to get information to market to you.”
