Apple has officially ruled out the development of its own search engine, unequivocally stating that it has no plans to compete with Google in this arena.
The announcement came following a federal court declaration filed by Apple in Washington, D.C., where senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue, elaborated on the reasons behind this decision:
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High operational costs would make development unsustainable.
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The rapid integration of AI technologies into search has added layers of uncertainty to the market.
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Apple aims to maintain its privacy-focused approach, which conflicts with the targeted advertising model necessary for a search engine.
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The company lacks the required personnel and infrastructure to support such an initiative.
Another substantial factor influencing Apple’s decision is its lucrative partnership with Google, which pays Apple a significant sum to remain the default search engine on Safari. In 2022 alone, Google reportedly compensated Apple around $20 billion for this privilege. This arrangement has raised concerns, with claims that it may violate U.S. antitrust regulations. Apple has sought permission for its representatives to testify in the forthcoming antitrust case set to begin in April.
Ultimately, while several factors contribute to Apple’s decision not to pursue its own search engine, the financial incentives associated with its current agreement with Google appear to be the most compelling reason.
