Without Google’s billions, the DOJ expects Apple to build its own search engine. You are absolutely wrong
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Without Google’s billions, the DOJ expects Apple to build its own search engine. You are absolutely wrong

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

The Justice Department wants to prevent Apple from taking a cut of Google’s search revenue from Safari

The DOJ wants to prevent this Apple You will not receive a share of the revenue generated by Google searches on Apple devices for ten years. The government also wants to prevent Apple from doing further deals with Google. This also includes a potential deal that is reportedly being discussed between the two tech giants that would integrate Google’s Gemini AI into the iPhone.

“Only Apple can discuss what types of future collaborations can best serve its users. Apple is relentlessly focused on creating the best possible user experience and is exploring possible partnerships and agreements with other companies to achieve this. If the above remedies were implemented, it would impact Apple’s ability to continue to deliver products that best meet the needs of its users.” – Eddy Cue, Senior VP of Services, Apple

Cue says if the court rules in the government’s favor, Apple would have two options, which he calls “unacceptable.” One of them would be to keep Google Search as the default search engine for Safari and not give Apple a share of the revenue generated by Google. This means that Google gets access to Apple’s customers for free. Or Apple could remove Google Search as an option for Safari users. But as Cue notes in the filing, “But because the customers prefer it.” For Google, it would be detrimental to both Apple and its customers to remove it as an option.

The government appears to believe that Apple will develop its own search engine without its current revenue-sharing agreement with Google. Cue believes that the plaintiffs’ assumption is incorrect. The SVP of Services said that Apple was focusing on other growth areas and that building a search engine would cost Apple billions of dollars and take too much time. Additionally, search is “evolving rapidly” due to changes in AI. Cue therefore states that it would be “economically risky” for Apple to spend the necessary money to build its own search engine.

Third – and perhaps a key reason why we shouldn’t expect Apple to develop its own search engine – such a feature would require Apple to develop its own platform to sell targeted ads. But as Cue points out, this isn’t Apple’s core business. He points out that while Apple sells niche advertising like those sold on the App Store platform, search ads are different. Building such a business, Cue says, would have to balance Apple with its famous commitment to user privacy.

This is the perfect example of what an Apple search engine is capable of

Apple decided to become an intervening defendant in the Google case because it believes that “Google can no longer adequately represent Apple’s interests: Google must now defend itself against a comprehensive effort to break up its business units.” Gurman wrote last year that Spotlight was the best example of Apple’s search capabilities. Using Spotlight is like having a powerful search engine on your iPhone or iPad.

An Apple search engine looks like its Spotlight feature.An Apple search engine looks like its Spotlight feature.

Spotlight shows what a search engine developed by Apple is capable of. | Photo credit: PhoneArena

To access Spotlight, you can swipe down from the middle of your home screen and use the search bar to enter your query. As you type, search results update in real time. You can also access Spotlight by tapping the chip under the app icons on the home screen. In With iOS 17 and later, you can take action directly from your search results.

According to Apple, you can:

  • Search for an app like Notes and your results will include the option to create a new note.
  • Look for a setting like Airplane Mode and you can toggle the setting on or off.
  • Search for a phone number or contact and you can call them, send a message, or start a FaceTime call.

If Spotlight is an example of what an Apple-developed search engine would be capable of, then I’m here for it.

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