Apple was rumoured to be working on a Google Search replacement. Photo: HWZ
Apple confirmed in a declaration to a U.S. federal court that the company is not developing a search engine.
Eddy Cue, Apple's senior Vice President of Services, shared four reasons why Apple's work on a search engine like Google is not viable.
First, such a project would require Apple to invest "billions of dollars" and "take many years". This endeavour would shift resources away from "other growth areas".
Second, the boom of AI is accelerating the evolution of the search business, and it is "economically risky" for Apple to venture into this space.
Third, a viable search engine business would require targeted advertising, which is "not a core business" of Apple and goes against the company's stance on user privacy.
Fourth, Apple lacks the "specialised professionals" and "operational infrastructure" to build and maintain a search engine business.
Rumours of Apple working on a Google Search replacement surfaced in 2023 when Bloomberg reported that Apple was developing its own search engine as another revenue stream.
It was then said that Apple's giant search team developed a next-generation search engine for its apps, and plans were made to integrate it deeper into the iOS and macOS experience with new generative AI tools.
Additionally, Apple has an advertising technology team and is actively recruiting engineers to work on search technologies.
Aside from Europe, Google has remained the default search engine on Apple devices in many countries. Google reportedly paid Apple $20 billion in 2022 for the exclusive deal.
Source: Thomson Reuters (PDF) via MacRumours
Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.