[toohotatopic]

Google can beat them by also offering a paid-for search engine. People trust Google with their mail and phones, they will also trust google with privacy-respecting search.

On the other hand, how come Cliqz has been shut down instead of being sold?[1] Are there no companies with deep pockets who are interested in containing Google's revenue besides MS? E.g. since Cliqz was so privacy focussed, wouldn't that have been a great start for Apple to have a privacy respecting search engine?

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23909484

[sterlind]

I think Apple Maps probably left a sour taste in their mouth about running such a service. Search engines are never done; it's a wide-open problem domain with diminishing returns and investment in many directions. I think Apple also realizes they're not a services company.. they sell hardware and support an OS and app store; everything else is a value add to bring people into the fold.

[the_other]

Apple is absolutely building core business around services, and has been for several years.

Siri has search and its top hits are surprisingly helpful. Maps is getting slowly better, and has both native and web clients. Apple TV+, iCloud Drive has paid tiers. Shortcuts and Messages look like apps, but they’re really UI around services, as is Siri.

[Doctor_Fegg]

Apple does have a search engine. Lots of the search suggestions that appear when you type in the Safari omnibar are Apple-sourced.