Apple is planning to expand its internal search engine, referred to as “Pegasus,” to various apps, including the App Store. This move follows recent enhancements to the Spotlight search feature in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, which now allows users to search for web results, app details, documents, and more.
Former Google executive, John Giannandrea’s search team, is actively working on integrating Pegasus more deeply into iOS and macOS, and there is potential for further improvement through the use of generative AI tools.
Additionally, Apple has launched Business Connect, a tool aimed at strengthening its database with business information, positioning it to compete more effectively with Google in this regard.
Apple’s Spotlight and app search engine may not match Google’s in terms of power, but Apple has a strong App Store ads business, serving ads to various apps, including Apple News and Weather. This, along with other factors, provides Apple with the necessary components to potentially launch its own search engine, possibly in the near future.
However, it remains uncertain whether Apple will indeed pursue this path, as Apple executive Eddy Cue has previously stated that the company doesn’t see the need to create its own search engine, and there were reports of Apple declining an offer to purchase Bing in 2020.
(Source: Bloomberg)
