Apple founder Steve Jobs once called Android a “thief” for copying Apple’s iOS system, and even expelled Google’s then CEO Eric Schmidt from Apple’s board of directors in 2006. Although it appeared that the competition between the two parties has become flat since then, foreign media reported that two former Apple engineers interviewed pointed out that Apple is still worried about the alleged plagiarism of iOS in the Android system, and is trying to reduce its dependence on Google services.
Two former Apple engineers interviewed described the relationship between Apple and Google as “deep grievances”. One of the engineers even described Apple’s secret struggle to reduce Google’s influence on iOS. By developing new features independently as “a silent war”.
Steve Jobs: Android is “stolen”! Ex-engineer says Apple is still bitter
Maps are the first battleground where Apple has declared war on Google. After 2012, the iPhone no longer has Google Maps built in, replaced by Apple Maps. After the launch, Apple Maps continued to improve. At the beginning of the month, it announced the launch of Business Connect. For companies to interact with users and provide discounts, etc., apparently for the cooperation between Google Maps and Yelp.
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In addition to maps, Apple is also declaring war on Google’s traditional core business, the search engine. Apple acquired two companies related to search services in 2013 and 2019. While Apple rarely mentions its search business, the employees in charge say that billions of people use Apple Search every day. According to analysis, if Apple no longer sets Google as the default search engine, Apple can eat 92% of Google’s usage rate with 1.2 billion iPhone users.
At the same time, Apple is also declaring war with Google in the advertising field. Google’s advertising privacy policy has been criticized for a long time. Apple will introduce a new privacy policy in April 2021. Making it more difficult for other companies to obtain user data through iOS. For Google, which generates nearly 80% of its revenue from advertising, the new privacy policy is clearly threatening.
Andrew Lipsman, an analyst at Insider Intelligence, pointed out that Apple’s three measures threaten Google’s position in iOS. Search engines are the main way to obtain first-hand user information. Apple obviously wants to get a share of online advertising.
