How Apple Plans To Stick It To Google

Apple plans to stick it to Google in a couple of ways that could hurt the search and advertising giant, at least as bad as Apple was hurt when Android followed the iPhone to the market.

Way back in 2009, Apple’s Chief Operating Office, Tim Cook, in a brief monologue on a financial conference call, divulged what has come to be known as the Cook Doctrine.

We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great products and that’s not changing. We are constantly focusing on innovating. We believe in the simple not the complex. We believe that we need to own and control the primary technologies behind the products that we make, and participate only in markets where we can make a significant contribution. We believe in saying no to thousands of projects, so that we can really focus on the few that are truly important and meaningful to us. We believe in deep collaboration and cross-pollination of our groups, which allow us to innovate in a way that others cannot. And frankly, we don’t settle for anything less than excellence in every group in the company, and we have the self-honesty to admit when we’re wrong and the courage to change. And I think regardless of who is in what job those values are so embedded in this company that Apple will do extremely well.

In other words, Apple likes to control their own destiny and not rely too much on others. For now, Apple relies on search and maps from Google. That may change.

Just a few weeks ago C3 Technologies, a popular 3D mapping company in Sweden, was sold to an unnamed Western buyer for a price tag reportedly approaching $1-billion. Who has the kind of cash and incentive to do better than Google on maps than Apple.

Here’s what C3 Technologies 3D maps can do that you won’t find on a traditional Google map.

Apple loves the wow factor, and C3’s 3D has it all over Google. Which cash-endowed high tech company would love to out Google Google?

About two years ago Apple paid big money for Siri, the maker of a virtual assistant app that is capable of doing customized searches. Who else does search? Google.

From TechCrunch early last year:

But presumably Apple is also getting the Siri engineering team, which can help lead its mobile search efforts. And the voice interface is particularly mobile-friendly. When you ask Siri questions, it comes up with not just answers, but actions it can perform on your behalf. No typing required. Siri was going to make money through affiliate links and leads as users take suggested actions, sort of a cost-per-action model.

So far, no noise from Apple on either the C3 3D mapping company purchase or Siri, the next generation search technology. Remember, Apple skates to where the puck will be, so whatever they do with each technology, it won’t be a copy cat of Google’s current offerings.

Already, Apple’s reliance on dedicated apps to access internet information on the iPhone and iPad have shifted how users search for information. C3 and Siri bring just the gee whiz factors that Apple relies upon. The next question is when? It won’t be in iOS 5, already in beta and scheduled for a late 2011 launch. My guess is next year, with iOS 6, when Apple brings enhanced voice recognition technology to both iPhone and iPad, as well as the Mac.