Apple is slowly plotting their revenge on Google
After finding out that Google planned to compete with the iPhone, Steve Jobs said, “We did not enter the search business, they [Google] entered the phone business. Make no mistake; they want to kill the iPhone. We won’t let them.” Tim Cook seems to be carrying out this vendetta with their latest launch: Spotlight.
Spotlight is what happens on your Mac desktop when you press Command-space, or when you slide down your home screen on iPhone. Why would Apple want to compete with Google’s search engine and how could it possibly be successful? The answer is advertising. Google used to highlight the background of an ad with a color to distinguish it from other content, giving users a choice on whether or not to click on these ads. Over time, however, they have included smaller and smaller notes regarding ad-related content, resulting in many people being completely unaware they are clicking on sponsored content.
Spotlight looks quite Google-y
When you search for something now, the top few hits are ads on Google (more than likely). However, this isn’t true with Spotlight. Spotlight redirects you exactly where you need to be, no ads necessary. When Apple releases their latest updates in the Fall, these “instant search” features will be even richer.
For example, Spotlight will have improved integration for Siri. Since Siri has been pitted against Google Now time and again; the new integration could give it a leg up on Google’s active assistant. Spotlight, also codenamed Proactive, will have access to Siri, Contacts, Calendar, Passbook, and third-party apps, making it more contextually aware and “proactive,” rather than passively waiting for the user to speak.
With all of these innovations, Spotlight could indeed overtake Google for searches. While Google has certainly been the favorite for searches, it seems the tides may very well be changing.
