Rumors indicate that Apple is furiously working on an alternative search technology after its ties with Google comes under intense scrutiny by the United States Justice Department (DOJ).
As Google comes under the crosshairs of the DOJ, antitrust authorities are also examining its ties with Apple, particularly its agreement about making Google Search the default search tool in all Apple devices. Because of this, Apple, which is also facing several antitrust investigations about alleged "monopolistic practices," is furiously working on alternative search technology in case everything goes south.
According to a DOJ brief, Google pays Apple up to $12 billion annually to remain the default search tool on all Apple devices and government authorities say that such a deal puts competitors at a disadvantage. Recently, the DOJ filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google and has placed the company's multi-billion dollar deal with Apple at the center of its case. In a bid to avoid more legal troubles, rumors say that Apple has started working on an alternative search technology that will replace Google in case its ties with the Mountain View-based tech giant is suddenly severed.
#Apple is accelerating work to develop its own search engine that will allow the #iPhone maker to offer an alternative to Google, a Financial Times report confirms.https://t.co/3d0Mc5itJJ — Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) October 29, 2020
In what appears as a subtle change to the most recent version of iOS 14, Apple started showing its own search results which point users directly to websites when they type their queries on the home screen. Apple's new web search feature is a milestone in the company's in-house development of its own alternative search technology and could lay the foundation for a future attack on Google Search, industry observers say. Others also say that Apple would just like to get out of the way in case the DOJ launches its own full-scale offensive on Google.
Apple, however, did not confirm the rumors about its alleged development of an alternative search technology as its partner Google gets in the DOJ's crosshairs. Some say that Apple never confirmed any rumors until they actually announced or revealed their plans. Besides, the Cupertino-based tech giant is known for being notoriously secretive about upcoming projects, though its recent subtle change in the latest iOS 14 version is an indication it is furiously working to develop a rival to the search engine of Google.
Furthermore, many recall that in 2018, Apple enticed John Giannandrea, the head of search at Google, to work for Apple. While it was announced that the reason for the hiring was supposedly to improve Apple's virtual assistant Siri, Giannandrea also brought along almost a decade of experience running the biggest and most popular search engine in the world. Combine this with the most recent change in Apple's iOS 14 and you will see Apple is really making efforts to develop an alternative search technology while Google remains in the crosshairs of the DOJ. For Bill Coughran, the former engineering chief of Google, Apple has a good team which he believes has the experience and depth to build their own search engine.
