Speculation Apple is looking to tackle Google in the search market

An Apple engineering ad has prompted speculation the tech giant could be preparing to tackle Google in the lucrative search market.

In an ad on its US website, Apple is seeking an engineering project manager who will oversee a project titled “Apple Search”. The position was previously posted on other job sites back in November.

“Apple seeks a technical, driven and creative program manager to manage backend operations projects for a search platform supporting hundreds of millions of users. Play a part in revolutionizing how people use their computers and mobile devices. Manage operational projects that support groundbreaking technology and the most scalable big-data systems in existence,” the job ad states.

The inclusion of references to “backend operations” and “a search platform supporting hundreds of millions of users” has led to speculation the position is not merely dealing with an improvement to Spotlight.

Cult Of Mac points out, in 2012, Apple had previously hired former Amazon and Apple search guru William Stasior, although previous claims from analysts that there is “a 70% chance” of Apple entering the mobile search space haven’t panned out so far.

Meanwhile, Macrumors points out Apple’s contract with Google for the default Safari search engine is set to expire in 2015. However, it says the wording is “less likely to be aimed at an entirely new Apple-based search engine and more likely cover ongoing efforts to improve Spotlight”.