Apple May Jump into Search Fray

April 1, 2010

Apple has a deeply flawed search system for iTunes in my opinion. I have used Apple’s feedback mechanism to complain about the inability I have to locate a particular item. Run a query and the system generates false drops and stuff in which I have zero interest. Does Apple care? According to Web Pro News, maybe. “Analyst Bets Apple Search Engine Might Be On The Way” points to a financial analyst who is providing the information. There’s more speculation in Barron’s, and that esteemed publication points to Apple’s buying a former Googler’s search system.

Earlier today I read about Amazon’s $1 Billion business in eBooks, a revelation from another financial analyst. The recession must be over. Apple needs to solve its search-related problems, and I think that home grown solutions are fun for some developers but I will be interested to see how the system performs, assuming of course that Apple is building its own search engine and not licensing technology from one or more of the 300 vendors in the search sector. Apple has the money, but my question is, “Why?” I know why the analysts are cranking out these bold ideas—churn. That’s where the money is for the analysts’ pals.

Stephen E Arnold, April 1,2010

No one paid me to write this news item.

Written by Stephen E. Arnold · Filed Under Business strategy, Financial, News, Search

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Stephen E. Arnold monitors search, content processing, text mining and related topics from his high-tech nerve center in rural Kentucky. He tries to winnow the goose feathers from the giblets. He works with colleagues worldwide to make this Web log useful to those who want to go "beyond search". Contact him at sa [at] arnoldit.com. His Web site with additional information about search is arnoldit.com.