In a recent declaration filed with a U.S. federal court, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue, explained why the company has no plans to develop a search engine to rival Google. Cue outlined several key reasons for Apple’s decision:
1. High Costs and Long Development Time
Developing a search engine would cost Apple billions of dollars and take many years. This would divert resources and talent from other key areas where the company is focused on growth.
2. The Rapid Evolution of the Search Industry
The search business is evolving quickly, particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence. Cue noted that entering this space would be economically risky for Apple, given the fast pace of change and competition.
3. Privacy Concerns and Advertising
To make a search engine viable, Apple would likely need to sell targeted advertising, which goes against its privacy commitments. This would also conflict with its core business model, which focuses on user privacy rather than ad sales.
4. Lack of Specialized Professionals and Infrastructure
Apple currently lacks the specialized professionals and operational infrastructure needed to run a successful search engine business. Building these capabilities would require significant investment.
Cue’s declaration was made as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust trial against Google, which challenges the agreement that makes Google the default search engine in Apple’s Safari browser. Cue revealed that Google paid Apple around $20 billion in 2022 for this arrangement.
If the deal were to end, Cue warned that it could severely impact Apple’s ability to deliver the best products and services to its users.
He emphasized that Apple is always focused on creating the best user experience and often explores potential partnerships to achieve this goal.
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