Apple Announces Plan to Build Search Engine

Apple has announced that it is planning to build its own search engine, taking on lead search engine company, Google. According to The Financial Times, Apple’s new plan comes following the company’s backlash from antitrust authorities, who are reportedly also making threats to curb the search leader’s hold on the industry.

Although the company has subtly created its own search engine for iOS 14, Google still remains the default and top company ranked for search engines. According to The New York Times, Google reportedly pays Apple anywhere from $8-$12 billion per year to have their services featured on the company’s devices. Deals such as these, antitrust authorities claim, create “continuous and self-reinforcing monopolies in multiple markets”.

In an attempt to counter the regulators, Apple hired Google’s head of search, John Giannnandrea, and has been collaborating with him for over two years. The company has also reportedly been hiring professional search engineers to build up what they’ve described as a “credible team.” According to Bill Coughran, a former Google engineering chief, this team has been developing a “more general search engine,” which, many also speculate, will most likely include an increased user privacy.