>> In one sense, Apple already gives up a data feed by sending search queries to Google.
Apple does this under protest. Their top search queries are served through siri lately, and the hope is siri will replace all search so they won't need to utilize google anymore.
There was a time when the Siri folks approached Blekko (which was an actual search engine with its own index, crawler, and ranking Etc. to discuss partnering with Apple (personally I think they should have bought us :-)) But, according to people who should know, there was a cultural mental block at Apple about providing web services at the time. The biggest thing like that they had done was Apple Maps and it was a 'mixed' success. Apple didn't see itself as being a search company.
I used to point out that Microsoft had a phone (Nokia), an operating system (Windows Phone), and a search engine. Google had a phone (Nexus), an operating system (Android), and a search engine. Apple had a phone (iPhone) and an operating system (iOS).
Since that time Microsoft dropped the OS and phone, and Apple never did build a real search engine.
[1] More precisely it is a front end to a simple knowledge base, a local index of things on your device, and when those things are exhausted an internet search engine.
In safari, when you enter terms into the search bar, the "google suggestions" is separate from "siri knowledge" or "siri suggested website" which they surface at the top. It looks like Apple generates that independent of google
I really can't see how Apple can continue to competitive with Siri without entering the search business (or partnering with another)
I've noticed several times now where Google assistant has been able to answer questions about things in almost real time all thanks to Google's crawlers.
My friend asked it earlier whether USPS delivers mail during a polar vortex and Google assistant told them they didn't yesterday, at least in Chicago.
Here's what I wanna know: to what extent does Google actually "have a phone"?
I mean, when I think about Apple, I think of a company that designs the look, the internals, the case, the glass, the board layout, and even some of the chips. (Sure, they contract the manufacture out, but Apple is deeply involved with designing components on a low level -- not merely farming it all out to some device maker in Taiwan or China.)
But for Nexus/Pixel: how much is Google and how much is LG or Samsung or HTC (yes, I know they bought HTC). I mean, how deep do Google personnel in Mountain View really go? How much do they just hand off to outsiders? Is it comparable to what Apple does? Maybe so. I just can't quite see into it.
Its a fair question, when I was there Google was all over the design of the handsets (the original 'Dream' phone), they did the Nexus One with HTC, after I had left, they bought Motorola Mobility which did the Moto phones and that group mixed in with the Android handsets folks. Then Lenovo bought it from them.
Google's biggest challenge was customer support, they just didn't do the whole "someone to pick up the phone and talk to you" thing.
So I'd say, they have a core capability to do handset design (perhaps some of it residual) and they likely strongly influence the hardware they sell. Is their bench as deep as Apples? No.
Not under protest, but for profit. The current figures are not public, but Google pays billions annually to Apple to remain the default search engine on iOS.
Do you think aapl needs google's "billions"? No, they're making way more money selling "privacy" and building a solid search engine to replace google is high priority for them.
>and building a solid search engine to replace google is high priority for them.
What are you basing that on, exactly? Apple doesn't exist in a market simply to "be" in that market. That's why they jettisoned things like their Airport routers
No it's not. If anything it's a proxy for Bing, but that's one of many data sources[0] (another of which being DDG's own crawler[1]). I'm not aware of Google actually being one of those data sources; you might be thinking of StartPage, which is a proxy for Google.
Apple does this under protest. Their top search queries are served through siri lately, and the hope is siri will replace all search so they won't need to utilize google anymore.