Should Apple Develop Its Own Search Engine?

If Apple wants to compete with the Big Boys in the Mobile Marketplace, then shouldn't it develop its own search engine, sooner rather than later.

Should Apple Develop Its Own Search Engine?
Copyright © 2010 Titus Hoskins

Isn't it about time for Apple and Steve Jobs to take the next logical step in Apple's evolution and develop its own search engine to go along with all those flashy mobile gadgets and computers. Now wouldn't that be somewhat revolutionary, if not magical. Besides if Apple wants total control of the mobile computer market it should create some version of its own search engine, probably sooner rather than later.

Laughable you say?

Not really, if you look closely at how Apple has progressed throughout its history, such a notion is not that far-fetched. Apple, founded in 1976 by Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs and Ron Wayne, has always been the innovator and front-runner for numerous products and technologies which are fully embraced by its loyal followers and users. Some say this fevered embrace verges on a cult-like worship of Apple products with Jobs as the grand-master, dictating the frenzied followers from one innovative product to the next. Others dismiss this as pure marketing hype which obviously works, if you consider all the media attention given to the recent unveiling of the Apple iPad Tablet.

But then one must also consider how this latest offering from Apple was mainly produced "in-house" with all Apple components, including its own 1Ghz Apple A4 Chip. And sporting Apple products such as iTunes, iBooks, Apps Store... products for the most part which can only be streamed or purchased through a portable device with no physical copies of the media - no DVDs, no CDs. Basically giving Apple total control of the marketing process.

Now, if only Apple would go one step further and place its own search engine on their computers, the marketing funnel would be complete.

From a marketing perspective it makes perfect sense, you want total control of what's on over 70 million mobile devices Apple currently has in the hands of users and consumers. And that's not counting the countless number of Apple computers currently in use and in production... placing your own search engine on all these devices would be a smart marketing decision for Apple. Sure there would be the initial costs of creating a new search engine but for a 50 billion dollar company it could easily be managed, especially when one considers the financial rewards and advertising revenues such a project would produce. They would be enormous, even if you just considered this search engine's performance on its own computers and devices, let alone how it would perform in the online marketplace or against Google or Bing?

From a strategic business move, creating its own search engine, should be a foregone conclusion for Apple. Its two main competitors are Microsoft and Google - both have search engines and both are venturing/competing in the same mobile devices and computers. In the case of Google - it is the recent debut of the Nexus One phone. And rumor has it, Microsoft has always been in the computer business, believe they have a little something called Windows!

These three giants of the Internet/computer world are somewhat like the three witches in Macbeth since they are harbingers of things to come. They are also well positioned for a full-out battle with each other for all the marbles. Each would like to control which devices a consumer uses, which search engine they use and which products/services they purchase while using the web and said devices. Needless to say, the spoils are huge. The profits unlimited.

So if Apple wants to play with the big boys, it will have to develop its own search engine to truly compete. Google has shown it can and will take on anything and anyone with the Nexus; so the gloves are off. Apple should respond by entering Google's sacred territory and present some true competition for the little search engine that could.

History has shown us repeatedly, complete monopoly by any one company, is not a good thing, especially for the consumer. Advertisers and publishers should have a viable alternative to Google; maybe Bing/Yahoo will provide that competition but Apple's entry into the search market would definitely stir up that pot. Web users should be presented with another quality search engine they could use, variety is the spice of life. En la variedad está el gusto.

Besides, competition is good, even for search engines. Many SEO experts believe Bing's recent debut into the online search arena has spurred Google to totally revamp its own search architecture with Google Caffeine. Google also has presented numerous innovations to the quality of its search in recent months, making it an even more relevant and faster search engine, especially when it comes to indexing social media content and links. While associating or crediting all these recent improvements to this increased competition from Microsoft may be a little presumptuous, it did no doubt, play a major role in bringing about those improvements so swiftly. We all need a little fire behind our derrieres sometimes, especially if our bread and butter is on the line.

Having Apple enter this lucrative search engine arena would further spur the competitive and creative juices of all three. The consumer and users of these search engines would enjoy the benefits and fall-out. As for Apple, creating its own search engine would further increase its dominance and importance in the whole scheme of things, especially if they want to totally dominant the mobile computing marketplace. Apple should, if they're not already working on this, consider developing its own search engine. Now wouldn't that be somewhat revolutionary, if not magical. Let's just hope Apple is listening and answers the challenge, sooner rather than later.

"Had I three ears, I'ld hear thee!"

.... All views, opinions and conclusions are solely those of the author, who is a full-time online marketer. He runs numerous niche sites, including two highly ranked sites on Internet Marketing Tools. Titus Hoskins Copyright 2010.