Apple is reportedly looking to integrate its “Pegasus” internal search engine into the App Store and other applications.
The report comes via Apple insider Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter for Bloomberg.
Apple’s venture into advanced search technology began with the introduction of upgrades to its Spotlight search feature in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. This enhanced feature enabled users to search for web results, documents, and surface details from apps.
Former Google executive John Giannandrea is spearheading Apple’s search team, aiming to deeply embed the “Pegasus” search engine into iOS and macOS. Sources suggest that Apple might even employ generative AI to enhance this engine further.
An essential component of Apple’s strategy is Business Connect, a tool introduced last year to augment its information database. By collecting comprehensive details about businesses’ operating hours and locations, Apple bolstered its competitive edge against search giant Google.
Apple’s robust App Store ads business – serving ads to apps like Apple News and Weather – adds another layer to its growing search ecosystem.
However, the question lingers: will Apple venture fully into the fiercely competitive realm of search engines dominated by Google?
Eddy Cue, a prominent Apple executive, has previously expressed his view that Apple doesn’t need to create its search engine. Moreover, reports indicate that Apple declined an offer to acquire Bing in 2020.
While nothing is final until we hear from Apple itself, “Pegasus” could be what’s needed to finally challenge Google’s search supremacy and meaningfully disrupt the arena.
(Photo by Hans-Peter Traunig on Unsplash)
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