"The Apple fanboy market would leave Google in a heartbeat. No question. That's about 5 per cent of the computer market, and then let's count some of the iPod, iPhone users."

I think you need to re-examine that statement before you make such broad generalizations. Its just plain incorrect.

Tom, I like you idea and have a question:

Where did you find that there are no difference between search engine results? It seems doubtful but maybe I am not aware of something.

And you are right about branded keywords and critical mass regarding long-tails.

Computers ought to be very expensive. Then they wouldn't be wasted on people who write such inaccuracies.

"Brand loyalty is the only thing bringing people back to Google."

Hehe this is dead wrong. I don't know who has the most advanced search algorithm bute I find that Google tends to display the most relevant results. Brand also has something to say, of course, but it is not the only thing. That is just plain stupid to say.

Interesting speculation - but more likely that Apple would front end or "white label" a search technology on the phone via a deal with Google or other mobile search company - using the search company as a sales engine with Apple taking a significant revenue cut for being a gate-keeper to mobile search. Apple may also use its UI skills to drive innovation on how "advertising" works best on the device. It's not in the DNA of Apple to build an organization to sell advertising - Apple is a software company first while knowing a bit about designing consumer hardware - and integrating the two via great interface design.

Tom,
I wish you would use a more flattering, less insulting adjective to describe Apple enthusiasts than 'Apple fanboys'...

Using the 'fanboy' word, by implication, defines you, the writer, as obviously a PeeCeee fanboy...
or is it a Microsloth user?

Fanboy, fanbois, elitist, cultist, fanatic - what's wrong with you people? can't you just write Mac user ?
Yeh yeh, I know it's just a joke, a harmless bit of fun....NOT!
I'm sure you would get sick of being called... erm... 'Foreskin' all the time, anybody would, but objecting wouldn't make you a psycho madman.
Please... quit with the playground name calling - you are an adult aren't you?

HELLO!

Who's iPhone are you talking about?

Mine, from Apple has Google search built in. Select Safari, tap the URL box and note the Google search box that comes up below the URL box, and also note that the Go button changes to Google. Have you guys ever seen any of the stuff you write about? Yes I'm a FanBoy because Apple's stuff just works even if you say it doesn't.

You are in fact aware that the iPhone has google and yahoo search built into the browser? With all due respect have you ever used an iphone?

Darn... forgot to say, "little or no difference in the quality of search results between search engines" you really ought to get out more lol. That's so wrong it's an insult to the algorithm IP that Google so jealously protects which it wouldn't if your assertion were remotely true.
I'd go further; Apple gets a much wider exposure by the Safari/Google search tie-in, so it's hardly in their interests to effectively build walls around their users and marginalise their 'friends'.

My apologies for the "fanboy" use, I meant it in an endearing way. I'm a Mac user and have had one since the first one came out... I also use PCs and still have a couple of Thinkpads.

The search that's missing from iPhone is Spotlight, and my guess is that it's coming, and is the reason why there's no address book search. However it has to be implemented across all the iPhone applications, and not surprisingly wasn't in the first version of iPhone, or AFAIK in the first version of the developer toolkit. But it will be nice when/if it comes.

Flint: While there is a difference in search engine results, there is no way to objectively decide on a difference in the quality of results. I would need to know the criteria of the algorithm as a starting base and that information is secret. I assume that GOOG has the best algorithm but I don't know. Is it the best one for all types of search or specific types of searches? Since there is often no single "right" answer to a search query then I'm making a bet that GOOG will show me the best selection, even though I know that some of the results game GOOG's algorithm to show up higher.

This article is so naive that it leads me to conclude it is a "bait" article to gain traffic for the website and spotlight the "former FT journalist". What better keywords than "Apple", "Fanboy", "Search" and "Google". The content is plain nonsense in my opinion.

Shashi: Link baiting is way too easy, I stay away from it. My apologies if your Google alert for "fanboy" brought you here :-)
I'm simply wondering why there is still no search function on the iPhone? It is coming up to its 1 year anniversary, surely I should be able to search the contents of my iPhone? I'm looking at trends in search, and also Apple's strategy to own key parts of its hardware, software, and online technologies. I'm trying to connect the dots...

Interesting idea, and not too far-fetched looking at the long-term, but I guess I have trouble understanding the leap in this case. True, the iPhone lacks a local search function, but it also lacks cut and paste, text selection functions, and a way to delete more than one e-mail at a time. I think the real reason there's no local search function on the iPhone is because Apple Product Management deemed it a low priority feature. Most of the 8GB or 16GB of storage on people's iPhones is taken up by digitized music, not critical documents that one wants to search through. When Apple starts making search acquisitions the way MSFT has, then I'll start to believe.

Hey... Because You Are Apple Branded-Customer so are Your Comments, Thoughts, Suppositions and Inferred Ideas are Pro-Apple First, and then ALL the Rest... Even if the truth is left behind, it's hidden or synchretized, but is ok, in America anybody could be dead wrong and nobody will care about it, until you come to be influenced by it. No doubt about it, Apple is a stronghold for the Internet game, and no matter if it is also named Microsoft or Google, etc. please, make your choice, but do it without outside influence or mark.

Apple will never take over the supreme search engine, Google...
No matter how hard they try