A story published by tech blog TechCrunch on Thursday cites "multiple (if thin) reports" claiming that Apple is developing its own search competitor.
The story notes that Apple's Safari browser, which currently commands about 6.5 percent of the browser market, uses Google as its default search engine - thereby handing off valuable real estate that Apple could be using to its own advantage.
Tech Crunch offer little in the way of information to back up its claims of an Apple search engine, and there are no reports that Apple have been hiring any search engine engineers. Because of this the rumour is being treated with a certain amount of caution.
However the story also notes that "the rumours persist" and many employees at other search companies have reported hearing the same rumours.
Apple would face stiff competition from the established big three in Google, Yahoo and Microsoft should they enter the search engine market.
Google continued to increase its U.S. search share dominance in October. Google's share of Web searches by people in the US rose to 71.7 per cent, up from 71.2 per cent in September and 64.5 per cent in October of 2007, according to market research company Hitwise.
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