As it prepares for its annual WWDC event, Apple plans to develop its own search engine.
The basis of the speculation is a tweet from writer Robert Scoble, which came after a thread detailing the Apple surprises he expects in the next year.
Scoble, according to Mashable, indicated that the information is based in part on contacts with informants and in part on deduction. “This is the most expensive product launch in history,” he continued.
Many believed that the Cupertino titan will ultimately dip its toes in the water due to a lack of competition in the search industry and a long-standing rivalry between Google and Apple.
Although the worth of Google Search is difficult to quantify due to the manner in which Alphabet’s revenues are reported, we do know that it provides for the majority of the company’s ad income, which is expected to reach USD210 billion in 2021.
According to Scoble, Apple has decided it wants a piece of the action. But why now, in particular? According to one view, Apple feels that the install bases of iOS and Safari have achieved critical mass, allowing it to mount a legitimate challenge to Google’s dominance.
According to Mashable, Apple has benefited from a collaboration with Google for years, ensuring Google’s prominence as the default Safari search engine (worth an estimated USD20 billion per year).
According to court documents submitted as part of a recent class-action lawsuit, Apple is likewise banned from launching a standalone search tool under the conditions of this agreement.
