Signs in iOS 14 indicate Apple is developing search engine to compete with Google, says report

The move comes amid increased scrutiny by antitrust enforcers.

By AFP | Oct 30, 2020, 04.17 PM IST

Reports in the past have said Apple had begun some in-house research on creating a search engine.

WASHINGTON: Apple has accelerated work to develop its own search engine that would allow the iPhone maker to offer an alternative to Google, a Financial Times report said Wednesday.

The report, citing unnamed sources, said signs of the search engine technology have begun to appeal in its iOS 14 operating system.

The move comes amid increased scrutiny by antitrust enforcers, who sued Google in the United States over its dominance in search technology.

As part of the lawsuit, the Department of Justice noted that Google pays Apple billions of dollars to be the principal search engine on iOS devices.

Apple did not immediately respond to an AFP query. Reports in the past have said Apple had begun some in-house research on creating a search engine.

According to the FT, Apple two years ago hired Google's head of search, John Giannandrea, in a move designed to help build artificial intelligence capabilities and its Siri virtual assistant.

Apple Unveils 4 New 5G-Enabled iPhones, To Come Sans Charger & Earphones; Also Launches A Smaller HomePod

1/5

Apple, at its virtual 'Hi, Speed' event, unveiled four new iPhones equipped with technology to support the new 5G wireless networks.

In addition to the new variants of iPhone 12, priced between $700 to $1100, the Cupertino-based tech giant also launched a smaller and cheaper version of its HomePod speaker.

Apple also said it won't be including earbuds or power adaptors with the newest iPhones, since most customers already have these. That will reduce manufacturing and make boxes lighter to ship.

The company's environment policy chief Lisa Jackson said the move was part of Apple's efforts "to cut waste and use less materials."