May 25, 2012 - 05:30 PM EDT — AAPL: 562.29 (-3.03, -0.54%) | NASDAQ: 2837.53 (-1.85, -0.07%)

Apple is beginning to destroy Google’s core search business

Friday, September 3, 2010 · 2:18 pm · 26 Comments

“Thousands of iPad owners have been paying money for third-party Facebook apps — bootlegs, basically — instead of just using Facebook’s iPad-tailored website, which is free and does many of the same things as those apps,” Dan Frommer writes for The Business Insider. “While the obvious message is that Facebook should get its butt in gear making an iPad app, there are also implications here for Google.”

Advertisement: Scratch Proof your iPhone 4 with invisibleSHIELD. Full Body Maximum Coverage for $24.99. Front and Back Coverage for $14.99 each!

“Specifically: The App Store is replacing the web search engine for mobile device users, at least for some searches. This should scare Google, because search is its core business, and it’s being supplanted,” Frommer writes. “And, additionally, that Google really can’t afford for Android to bomb.”

These Facebook iPad apps are “popular because these people are using the App Store to search for Facebook, and are not using Google for that,” Frommer writes. “This highlights the fact that search on mobile devices is going to be different than search on desktop computers, which puts Google’s core search business in jeopardy… If App Stores are going to intercept at least some web searches, Google stands to be less important for those queries and users than it is on the desktop.”

Read more in the full article – recommended – here.

MacDailyNews Take: In other words: We used to use Google to find out movie times, sports scores, news, etc. Now we used iPad/iPhone apps. No Google necessary.

The day Google should dread is when Apple takes iPhone to multiple U.S. carriers because that’s the day the sole major reason to settle for an Android phone evaporates.

Categories: All Sites, News

Thank You for supporting MacDailyNews!

♥ Adobe Photoshop CS6 Extended for Mac - Student and Teacher Edition DVD (65171323) only $249!
♥ Blowout: Apple 15.4" MacBook Pro i7/4Core/2.0GHz/4GB/500GB (MC721LL/A) only $1,549.99 + Free Shipping from MacMall
♥ Mac Madness Save 25% on Parallels Desktop 7!
♥ 15% Off Compatible Ink. 10% Off All Others (excludes OEMs). Free Shipping over $55. Coupon: 123BLOSSOM, Expires 6.18.12
♥ Save up to 60% at the Hammacher Schlemmer Special Values Sale-While supplies last.
♥ Dragon Dictate for Mac 2.5 - New! Simply Smarter Speech Recognition
♥ Up to 30% OFF Accessories from Verizon Wireless
♥ Limited Time Offer: Get free ZAGGsmartbuds when you buy a ZAGGsparq!

Comment Feed

26 Comments

1 2 Next »

Anim8me2

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 2:51 pm · Reply

Wow, this is such incredibly disjointed thinking.

So people are using the App store to find the Facebook app and then using the app to access Facebook.
Which has the effect of losing Google exactly one search.

QUICK, RUN FOR THE HILLS!

The fact is Google search is so deeply ingrained in the internet zeitgeist what with embedded ads, search bars in Chrome, IE, Safari and Firefox as well as people using Google to actually search for the site address they actually know (yes, people do go to Google and type sitename.com in the search field) that there is a long way to go before they start worrying about losing search revenue to Apple.
Arnold Ziffel

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 2:53 pm · Reply

I’m doing all I can to make sure Gurgle gets none of my business. Eric T. Mole is the personification of “Big Brother,” and it’s time we let him know we don’t appreciate his way of not being evil.
HMCIV

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 2:55 pm · Reply

One day Google will get back to its core competency.
Asterix

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 2:55 pm · Reply

With browser you search, with App you just find.
David F.

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 3:01 pm · Reply

What “iPad-tailored website?” Using to iPad to access the Facebook website is difficult. Can’t upload photos. Can’t use the chat feature. Can’t select a new profile pic. I’m not sure what the author is speaking about.
macslut

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 3:05 pm · Reply

I use Facebook on my iMac, MacBook Pro, iPhone and iPad. I have been using Facebook for years. I’ve never once interacted with Google in my use of Facebook with the exception of being referred to Google Maps or YouTube from Facebook.

On the iPhone I use the Facebook App. On the iPad, I just use Safari for the normal website. The only reason to use the touch website is for places, and the only reason to use a Facebook app on the iPad is for chat…which sucks.

Of course, it’s not just Facebook. It’s every other web service that provides app access to the service…eBay, Wikipedia, etc…

None of these apps bypass Google on iOS significantly.

On the other hand, I’ve using Google services far more now with iOS because of Maps, YouTube, Google Voice, etc…
Joe

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 3:15 pm · Reply

This has some truths and some half truths. One thing I do on my desktop a lot out of prue habit is that my home page is google, so instead of type out facebook.com on the nav bar, ill just type like facebo and hit enter

google does the rest and its one click away. On my iphone, no way, i load up the app.

All that said the truth is, it makes mroe sense to access the traditional way since from the browser i have everything, i dont need a seperate app for all these programs, the broswer is the only app i need and i need only type in the name of what i want for it all to work.

Instead of all these stupid apps, we really should just be browser based with each website customizing to the device i.e. the iphone. Nlo need for an app.
Hm...

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 3:17 pm · Reply

The point is that dedicated “info-finding” apps are becoming normal. “Googling” may be deeply ingrained in the internet zeitgeist today, but could easily become the vacuum tube of tomorrow if Schmidt and company sits still or merely copies others’ innovation.
Synthmeister

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 3:18 pm · Reply

It certainly would be interesting to see what would happen if Apple randomly chose the default search engine for each new iDevice.
Mister Snitch

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 3:18 pm · Reply

“So people are using the App store to find the Facebook app and then using the app to access Facebook. Which has the effect of losing Google exactly one search.”

You’ve completely missed the ENTIRE point. Amazing.
This article is exactly right. Apple has cobbled together a different, more focused way of using the ‘net in mobile devices. Every time Apps are used to access internet data, Google is not.

Google once was the starting point for every web user. But for today’s mobile users, Apps are the starting point.

However, this does justify Google’s entrance into the ‘mobile device’ field. They feared they could be bypassed by smartphones (and said so publicly on several occasions). They were correct. Jobs should (but cannot) see it from that point of view, and get past his anger re Google invading ‘his’ turf. Google, in creating Android, was attempting to defend THEIR turf, and quite rightly so.

I also agree with the contention that, once the iPhone is freed from its network constraints, it will dominate the field. And Google will follow in the footsteps of Microsoft and Yahoo: Once-dominant tech players, who hit their ceiling. Next?
scottie

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 3:20 pm · Reply

This is a poorly written article, and the logic of going from people using Apps for Facebook to Google Losing searches is paper thin. Apple will not supplant Google in search because Apple does not deal in search. If you really want to find something, you use Google, because of it’s massive knowledge of every crevice of the Internet. And, if what you want to find doesn’t exist anymore, it’s usually cached.

This is the kind of article that tends to come out after a lackluster Apple event in which nothing is really announced, but the Magic of Apple must be preserved. Nothing groundbreaking, so lets just make garbage up. Apple used to be about groundbreaking technology and amazing features. Now it’s just marketing spin after marketing spin.
Scottie

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 3:36 pm · Reply

Mister Snitch,

The iPhone is sold on every network here in the UK, and it does not dominate Android.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/08/02/neilsen_smartphone_stats/

Your logic that the iPhone will suddenly destroy Android once it’s on the other carriers is faulty. There will be a surge, of course. That cannot be denied. But, have you seen how many Android phones are for sale now? Small or big. Pricey or affordable. HTC, Motorola, LG, Samsung (the sleeping giant which has awoken), and Huawei are offering the consumer every possible combination. Oh, and watchout iPad, there have been like 5 tablets released in just the past week! Also, watch your 6 for the new Kindle.

Apple needs to diversify it’s iPhone and iPad lineup. Different storage ratings are not choice. Apple, there are such folks as “lower-middle class” you know.

Just so you know, I am not a biased consumer. I am typing this on my iMac, with a Windows 7 netbook charging under the screen, with my HTC Desire beeping with e-mails in the background, and an iPod Touch upstairs in my 2-year olds room with a noisemaker app running. And I’ll tell you what. OS X, Win7, Android, and iOS are just 4 different shades of the same great color. Apple needs to come up with more products at different price points.
large w/fries

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 3:43 pm · Reply

I personally think that Apple could bring down Google in a short order by coming up with a portal page with news, etc. like Yahoo but more interesting without all the annoying ads plus their own search engine.
If the search engine were at least as good as Google’s, then Google is toast(ad revenues gone) and then they will have to charge phone manufacturers for Android. Never mind Microsoft, their fate is handwritten on the wall.
Jim

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 3:43 pm · Reply

I still trying to wrap my head around how exactly this is affecting google?

People want the facebook app for their iphone (or ipad) so they go to the one place that apple deems “legal” (read – apple controls everything on the iOS platform) to get the app.

No kidding??

I never would have searched google to get an ipad app because you can’t get an ipad app via google.

So I ask again, how exactly does google loose anything in this scenario???
dinjin201

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 4:08 pm · Reply

I can’t wait to see if apple will adopt the motto:

There is no Evil.
Brulek

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 4:25 pm · Reply

Geez, drinking waaay too much kool-aid here in the Apple’s walled garden of Jobsian Zen. Seriously, what a load of crap this article would be. Deluded Propaganda to make the fanboi’s feel good about life with their collective head and monobrain in the sand.
Brulek

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 4:27 pm · Reply

check the link to see how google is being owned by apple:

http://blogs.computerworld.com/16883/android_apple_market_share
Church Lady

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 4:29 pm · Reply

Now, isn’t that stupid?! Not everybody wants an iPhone that you have to watch how you hold it in their hands. After being and early adopter with the first iPhone and owning a 3 GS I switched to the Incredible – an Android phone with Sense and I couldn’t be happier.

Android won’t sit on their hands and Apple can be sure there will be continued improvements both in the hardware and software. Plus the Android Store is no longer chopped live – oops, sorry Steve!
Mike

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 5:06 pm · Reply

there will always be some need for search capabilities.

my hope is that one day it won’t be an advertiser-biased list from google/bing/yahoo and instead be a modestly-priced browser plugin that does not allow ads or modify its search returns based on advertiser revenue. That day will be soon.

facebook is the evil empire that google used to not want to be, before they became the other evil empire.
maclover

Friday, September 3, 2010 - 5:57 pm · Reply

My theory – about all of Googles initiatives, and failures, is that it’s desparately trying to diversify. People argue that it has so much money it doesnt need to, but its history shows it to be a one trick pony. Non-business people wouldn’t comprehend diversity, but it’s important to not pigeon-hole your business. Dubai is such a case. They will run out of oil in 20 years – so theyre converting their oil-based economy into a tourist/commercial based economy – brilliant!!!! Microsoft and Google know their days are numbered and have tried to copy Apple however they can – fruitlessly. But at least they know they’re headed for a brick wall. Google fans are real simpletons especially they believe Google is rich, so they give away all kinds of cool and free apps – for fun. LOL! How do you think they got rich idjut? by giving away everything free? As a matter of fact – if Android is free, why isn’t it half the price of the iphone? Because it’s not – and nothing Google does is free, without strings attached, and not evil.