3 ms·

Apple ‘at least four years away’ from launching Google search competitor

11 points by retskrad 4y ago

dtagames 4y ago
I would say "never" is a more likely ship date. Apple has no experience in server-based businesses and isn't even a dark horse. They're not in the race. Apple has never built out or sold server infra at any significant scale or success and this is the key cost factor and therefore profit determiner in server business success. All of Apple's business models are based on a walled garden philosophy which is incompatible with a successful search business. Apple's view of search is like AOL's and will succeed about as well. Apple's biggest problem is not that it can't compete in search. It's that the company has too much money. That, combined with penis envy, compels them to think that they can and should dominate every sector of our lives. Apple made that money by selling boutique hardware and premium media to an enthusiastic audience. They should stick to the game they know and forget search, cars, health, and whatever else they're blowing cash on.
- bitxbitxbitcoin 4y ago
  More competition in any of those industries is good for me, the end consumer.
- thomassmith65 4y ago
  If I were in charge of Apple, I'd coax a few other big names in tech to join forces and fund some sort of "search consortium." Considering the ad-ridden, privacy-hostile, customer-service-less and unfocused state of Google today, I don't think Google would survive that. A browser made by a "search consortium" with deep pockets whose sole purpose is to provide a quality search engine... would steamroll Google. All of Apple's business models are based on a walled garden philosophy which is incompatible with a successful search business That truly is the problem: if Apple makes a search engine, Apple's instincts will guarantee that search engine will remain niche. An Apple search engine is a search engine with a consumer company logo plastered on its homepage, an inherent privacy conflict (regardless of their privacy initiative, not good to use the same company for both your OS and your search engine), and a question mark as to how much attention Apple will pay it, and for how long.
- dinobones 4y ago
  Where do you think iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, Apple TV, Apple Music, Private Relay, live?
  - pjmlp 4y ago
    In AWS, mostly. https://www.turningcloud.com/blog/apple-uses-aws https://www.turningcloud.com/blog/apple-uses-aws
mensetmanusman 4y ago
Apple will hopefully not do what they did with Maps. E.g. force people to use it when you click search and make it the default. For Maps, if you tap an address it will advertise where to download apple maps even if you want to use google maps (it’s a tragedy that Apple is introducing advertising within iOS). Apple Maps still doesn’t work well outside of the city, so it’s incredibly annoying. Search would probably go the same way, it will default to second rate Apple results and make you jump through hoops to use google even if you want to. It’s amazing Apple doesn’t realize that the software made the iPhone worth using more-so than the hardware, and now they are trying to have their cake and eat it. As they start to sherlock every industry supporting the iPhone, one would think regulators would take notice as their global profit share is now approaching >80% for smartphones.

11 points by retskrad 4y ago

I would say "never" is a more likely ship date. Apple has no experience in server-based businesses and isn't even a dark horse. They're not in the race. Apple has never built out or sold server infra at any significant scale or success and this is the key cost factor and therefore profit determiner in server business success. All of Apple's business models are based on a walled garden philosophy which is incompatible with a successful search business. Apple's view of search is like AOL's and will succeed about as well. Apple's biggest problem is not that it can't compete in search. It's that the company has too much money. That, combined with penis envy, compels them to think that they can and should dominate every sector of our lives. Apple made that money by selling boutique hardware and premium media to an enthusiastic audience. They should stick to the game they know and forget search, cars, health, and whatever else they're blowing cash on.

bitxbitxbitcoin 4y ago
More competition in any of those industries is good for me, the end consumer.
thomassmith65 4y ago
If I were in charge of Apple, I'd coax a few other big names in tech to join forces and fund some sort of "search consortium." Considering the ad-ridden, privacy-hostile, customer-service-less and unfocused state of Google today, I don't think Google would survive that. A browser made by a "search consortium" with deep pockets whose sole purpose is to provide a quality search engine... would steamroll Google. All of Apple's business models are based on a walled garden philosophy which is incompatible with a successful search business That truly is the problem: if Apple makes a search engine, Apple's instincts will guarantee that search engine will remain niche. An Apple search engine is a search engine with a consumer company logo plastered on its homepage, an inherent privacy conflict (regardless of their privacy initiative, not good to use the same company for both your OS and your search engine), and a question mark as to how much attention Apple will pay it, and for how long.
dinobones 4y ago
Where do you think iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, Apple TV, Apple Music, Private Relay, live?
- pjmlp 4y ago
  In AWS, mostly. https://www.turningcloud.com/blog/apple-uses-aws https://www.turningcloud.com/blog/apple-uses-aws

mensetmanusman 4y ago

Apple will hopefully not do what they did with Maps. E.g. force people to use it when you click search and make it the default. For Maps, if you tap an address it will advertise where to download apple maps even if you want to use google maps (it’s a tragedy that Apple is introducing advertising within iOS). Apple Maps still doesn’t work well outside of the city, so it’s incredibly annoying. Search would probably go the same way, it will default to second rate Apple results and make you jump through hoops to use google even if you want to. It’s amazing Apple doesn’t realize that the software made the iPhone worth using more-so than the hardware, and now they are trying to have their cake and eat it. As they start to sherlock every industry supporting the iPhone, one would think regulators would take notice as their global profit share is now approaching >80% for smartphones.