4 ms·
Maybe Apple users only probably want to use that search engine because Apple didn't take the money and use it to build a better search engine.
by Teever 3y ago
Maybe Apple users only probably want to use that search engine because Apple didn't take the money and use it to build a better search engine.
- SllX 3y agoBillions have been invested in making a better Google than Google by other entities but most people just want Google. Even if Apple did make a search engine, that’s no guarantee iPhone users would want to use it, and if Google and nobody else paid Apple a penny to be the default, there’s better than even odds Google would still be the default.
- Teever 3y agoYes but those other entities aren't Apple. Apple does the impossible. Frequently. If anyone could make a better Google it would be Apple.
- SllX 3y agoLook, I like Apple too but don’t get too high on their supply. Apple does the possible but extremely challenging, frequently. Given enough time and money, they probably could be at least competitive with Google, but how much time? How much money? What are the opportunity costs to doing this and not investing somewhere else where they are either stronger or there’s a more lucrative future business to be had (like their mixed reality headset)?
- Teever 3y agoThat's the point of the discussion, how much of that opportunity cost is due to monopolistic behavior on the part of Google?
- SllX 3y agoThere would be an opportunity cost even without Google’s money. Google may not be what it once was but it is definitely still the best in the free-tier search engines you can use today and in 2007 it was several heads and shoulders above anything else Apple could have picked as the default on iPhones. If payment from Google (or anyone else) isn’t a factor in what Apple uses as the Safari default, it is not at all clear that this change alone would make it worth Apple’s time to develop their own search engine. You have an easier argument with that change, but it’s not a slam dunk.
- henry2023 3y agoHave you seen Apple Maps?
- sethherr 3y agoHave you seen Apple Maps recently? It’s great. I switched over a few month ago.
- wkat4242 3y agoOSM is still way way better than both. When I walk in the mountains here I am walking in a big empty green square according to Google :S Same with Apple. Meanwhile OSM knows every little trail including surface and gradients <3 It's amazing. And I can turn on layers so I only se the things I need and not everything else.
- gaganyaan 3y agoI'm not sure why you're downvoted, but OSM is actually better at nature areas.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- wkat4242 3y agoAnd not just there, also when walking in the city. Little shortcuts are often not on Google maps at all. The only thing where I see Google beat it is live public transport information. And perhaps traffic but I don't drive so I don't know how good that is.
- utopcell 3y agoDidn't they try this already with a _much_ easier problem ? How's apple maps doing these days ?
- thefourthchime 3y agoI prefer these days while it doesn’t have a feature parody with Google maps. It has a much cleaner interface, doesn’t have ads and half the time gives us better search results.
- lolinder 3y agoBy most reports I'm hearing lately, it's doing quite well, better than Google Maps in a lot of ways. I don't have an iPhone, so I can't vouch for it myself. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38032540 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38032540 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37764369 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37764369 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37759964 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37759964 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37750465 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37750465
- utopcell 3y agoYou can certainly pick&choose user comments, but aggregate statistics suggest that apple maps have ~10% of the maps market. Although it's not clear what that number would be if they ever released their maps for Android, it's a good indication that they are a distant second at best. Note that this is a _much easier_ problem to solve than search, and they have not been able to dominate it, 11 years after launch, despite their tight control of their platform.