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According to the rumor mill, Apple will soon launch its search engine for competing against Google Search. The search engines and the marketplace are abuzz with the news of the anticipated search engine from Apple.

Search bots (like Googlebot, Bingbot, etc.) typically scan websites to rank them and index for results on search engines. Let me explain this further.

When you search for something using Google, Bing, or other search engines, the results are shown as per their rank, which means only the most accurate result to your search query appears on top of the search engine result page.

For many years, Google is reportedly paying billions of dollars to Apple for remaining its default search engine on Safari for iPadOS, macOS, and iOS.

Due to this, Mac, iPad, and iPhone users search with Google when using Safari. However, if they want they can manually change Safari’s search engine preferences.

apple vs google

This deal could be nearing an end soon. Other than the disputatious relationship with Google, the regulatory pressure and Apple’s iCloud and Siri’s maturation could be the reasons why Apple should create & launch its own search engine.

Multiple indications suggest that Apple will soon launch its own search engine. Apple app developers are quite enthusiastic about seeing Apple’s own search engine.

Needless to say, Apple is the most valuable company in the world and they probably don’t need the money that Google pays them as part of the deal.

Reportedly, Apple is spending a lot of money and pouring resources (Google developers, search engineers, etc.) into search to materialize this plan.

There’s no clarity if Apple still uses Bing or not. But one thing is for sure and it is that Apple has already started to bypass Google and return search results through Spotlight Search.

What Does Apple Stand to Gain from This Launch?

Apple’s search engine is expected to look & work a bit different from other search engines including Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Google. This is because historically Apple prefers to work differently and, hopefully, Apple’s search engine will be designed for different purposes other than data mining and showing ads.

Based upon the numerous job descriptions of search engineers for Apple, and the ongoing consolidation of app and web results in Spotlight Search, it is believed that the search engine of Apple will possibly work as a personalized hub for data.

apple search

It will likely be similar to Android’s Google Assistant but different as it will not have ads (at least initially) and it’s going to be absolutely private with deeper OS integrations.

Apple stands to gain immensely from its new search engine and improved model. Let’s quickly go over some of the benefits

  • Google’s monopoly will become weaker on the search and that would work as a powerful blog to the data mining and ad revenue of the search engine giant.
  • Apps promotion in search results will directly benefit the services of Apple and detract the push of Google towards PWAs.
  • Apple products & services would be promoted and that includes struggling services such as Apple TV+ and Apple News.
  • Uninterrupted control and lockdown of the ecosystem of Apple. Users will then become more dependent on personalized search results with product integration and deep service possible only through a search engine.
  • Developers will be able to promote apps in search results due to the extension of the platform for ad serving.

Will it Affect the SEO Too?

If Apple succeeds in capturing significant market share, it’ll force the SEOs to adapt&optimize their search engine. In fact, this is great news for Apple app developers and SEO professionals looking for alternative and newer platforms to promote businesses and target the specific market of iPhone users.

Tactics would not change in some way but SEOs may also find opportunities that Google and, in fact, any other search engine, doesn’t offer. Everything, at present, is based upon conjecture and observation.

The launch of the search engine will surely add to the immense popularity of Apple and may motivate the entrepreneurs to think of venturing into the mobile app business and hire iPhone app developers for the job.

Another possibility is that they might not release the search engine at all and iPad, macOS, and iOS might already be using it without awareness.

It might be closely integrated into the native apps and OS that alerts and Spotlight Searches silently steal away queries meant for Google otherwise.

Apple would be stepping into the search engine domain as a big competitor after Microsoft’s Bing (launched 11 years ago). Though Bing couldn’t make it as big as Google, the PR team of Microsoft boasts of being a tough competitor for Google, say some online sources.

apple search

If we compare the market power and economic performance of Bing, it stands nowhere close to the ubiquitous Google. In contrast to Bing, Apple’s search engine opening gambit is different and may produce better outcomes.

Resetting management rules: Microsoft’s biggest mistake while launching Bing was to imitate Google’s business model which is ad-based.

This business model allows users to key in certain words to search for anything they might be looking for. On the basis of the search query, the search engine displays relevant results as well as ads that could be useful for them.

For example, if someone is looking for the best mobile application development company in the area, the person may see the ads posted by some of the most sought-after and even top mobile app development companies that serve in that location.

In order to derive profits from such a business model, the first and most important requirement is a huge user base. Aside from a huge number of searchers, this business model requires a large number of advertisers as well who are ready to see to these users.

That’s not all; this business model cannot survive if the search bot doesn’t scan millions of webpages. In short, you need a huge user base, advertisers, and websites to scan in order to make this business model work.

Google also makes money by matching the right users with the right ads, through pay-per-click and cost-per-click advertising models. More searches and matches mean more business for the advertisers and more earnings for Google.

Bing, on the other hand, has to struggle really hard to get all these and still couldn’t an opportunity to reach the level Google already sits at as far as search, paid traffic, and users are concerned.

If you are looking to hire an iOS app development company to create your iPhone app, probably you are making way for great success. If we go by the rumors surrounding the launch of Apple’s much-awaited search engine, it will surely have a different and better future.

But before you hire an iPhone app development company for your app development, make sure you have made your specifications clear and strategized on how your app would benefit from the upcoming Apple search engine.

Apple’s concern heavily rests upon user privacy, openly refusing to provide secret access to Apple devices to the FBI. Apple is taking a strong stand about users’ privacy as part of its “privacy-first” attitude and it has chosen not to generate profits at the cost of its users’ privacy.

So, advertising will not be a prime money-making mechanism for Apple unlike Google and that can serve as a plus point for Apple’s search engine, especially among those who are concerned about their data and security while using mobile phones for various purposes. Apple doesn’t need to engage with Google on its terms as it decides to strictly not follow the footsteps of Google.

When launched, Bing had some unique features, such as “hover preview”, specialization of sorting in shopping, local business, health, and travel searches, which even Google didn’t have then.

Despite offering great product quality, Bing failed to win the wars of the search engines. Even businesses that look for mobile app developers for hire don’t consider Bing as the targeted search engine for their mobile app searches.

Although the route may not be so easy for Apple either, if you look at the history of search engines Apple has an advantage here because it doesn’t really need to stand out and differentiate from Google. Apple has its own niche market.

So, if you are an entrepreneur wishing to enter app business and hire dedicated developers to build an iOS app you should consider this aspect as well. Honestly, Apple only needs to maintain that its search engine delivers “just fine” results to convince its users to adopt it all together.

Apple maps (launched in 2012) results indicate this. Apple enjoys a lion’s share (of more than 60%) in the Phone users in the UK. Similarly, Apple music is today the 2nd largest music player in the music streaming category against Spotify’s9-year lead.

With Apple’s latest update of iOS 14, it has already commenced swapping the search results of Google in its own favor. So, if you are planning to get an iOS app and looking to hire iOS developers, don’t delay your plans as the new search engine may give a great boost to your app business.

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Most Apple users haven’t even noticed the subtle changes till now. But the quiet swapping has some challenges as well which cannot be overlooked at any cost, especially if you are eying great success in your app business and want to build a mobile app for iOS users specifically.

So, before you hire mobile app developers or consider full-stack development services from your chosen app development company, make sure you follow the trends closely.

By default Apple’s own search engine in place of Google search engine on all Apple devices, the company may end up upsetting advertisers who may find it difficult to reach the customers who use Apple phones and other devices.

Most app businesses hire mobile app developers and focus exclusively on Apple users to earn greater profitability but the restrictions that Apple’s search engine imposes may make their business difficult.

Conclusion

While Apple may attract more customers to its devices by launching its own search engine, the dominance of Google on the web search will not terminate in any case.

However, it may have a significant impact on the monopoly of Google, especially as it will attract the customers who prefer privacy and want to keep their data safe.

Since the business model of Google is nowhere similar to that of Apple, Google should also be ready to face a tough competitor (in the guise of Apple search engine).

While the speculations are still high and Apple users are optimistic & enthusiastic about the upcoming Apple search engine, we just have to wait and watch the trends that follow.

Let’s see how the market receives and welcomes the new search engine and how much impact it succeeds in making on the popularity, ubiquity, and dominance of Google.

The information and statistics presented in this post are taken from various online sources and may be subject to change as per the company’s strategic and business changes.

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