Creating a search engine without stepping in the patent / licensing minefield that Google and Microsoft have put down for each other is not necessarily a profitable or worthwhile venture.
Sure, they could write their own search engine (they also don't do large compute - so they'd be getting it from someone they'd be paying) but Apple would be paying for compute and licensing ... and not have any revenue from it ... and get in trouble with anti-trust or monopoly issues in Europe to boot.
Writing a search engine isn't likely worth the headaches that it would bring to Apple.
Even though Apple hasn’t been sued for Apple Maps, they are not safe from such antitrust charges. The antitrust cases move slowly so it’s possible that they just haven’t gotten to there.
Interestingly, Apple Maps' new beta doesn't work on Linux at all, even with Chrome, so I can't see it. They say it works on Chrome on Windows or Mac, but apparently Apple doesn't like Linux very much.
The problem isn’t that Google has search and makes Android. It’s that they have search and paid android phone makes and Apple oodles of money to make Google search the default.
Apple would not need to pay anyone to make their search (or maps or browser) the default. It would be the default on Apple devices and not used much outside of that.
One would argue that Apple is abusing their monopoly on iOS devices to advance their map business. One could also argue that iOS is not a monopoly since Android has greater market share. Who will win is not settled yet. Right now, the DOJ hasn't come this far, but it is not given that they won't ever go there.
> It would be the default on Apple devices and not used much outside of that.
Would that bother Apple?
Their platform is the most valuable to advertise on. They’ll make money. The question is, will it make as much as Google was paying?
Sure, they could write their own search engine (they also don't do large compute - so they'd be getting it from someone they'd be paying) but Apple would be paying for compute and licensing ... and not have any revenue from it ... and get in trouble with anti-trust or monopoly issues in Europe to boot.
Writing a search engine isn't likely worth the headaches that it would bring to Apple.