Fueled by increasing antitrust scrutiny from the Justice Department and Congress, Apple is reportedly exploring the possibility of creating its own search engine to rival Google, as detailed in a recent Financial Times report.

This potential move presents a notable paradox, as efforts to curtail anti-competitive practices appear to be fostering increased competition among the dominant players in the tech sector, rather than opening doors for smaller, more innovative companies.

Evidence suggesting Apple’s renewed focus on search technology is visible in a subtle yet important update within the latest iOS 14 operating system for iPhones, alongside heightened activity from Apple’s web-crawling tools used to enhance search capabilities, according to the Financial Times.

With iOS 14, Apple is now displaying its own search results and providing direct links to websites when users enter queries directly from their home screen. This functionality has been observed in earlier beta versions of iOS, and Jon Henshaw of Coywolf previously highlighted an increase in search volume on Apple’s crawler back in August.

Sources speaking with the Financial Times indicated that this change signifies a substantial advancement in Apple’s internal search development and could serve as a foundation for a more comprehensive expansion into the search market.

The company headquartered in Cupertino, California, possesses considerable expertise in this area. Less than three years ago, Apple recruited John Giannandrea, formerly Google’s head of search, in a move widely interpreted as an effort to strengthen Apple’s artificial intelligence and voice search capabilities through Siri. Given Apple’s internal structure, it is unlikely that Giannandrea will simultaneously dedicate his full attention to both a potential new “search product” and Siri; however, he may be contributing his knowledge to a team focused on a distinct feature.

Developing a search tool would represent a third avenue for Apple to engage in search, currently relying on Google as its default search provider through a significant financial agreement – an arrangement also under investigation by the Justice Department regarding Google’s alleged anti-competitive search practices. The remaining major search services largely depend on Microsoft’s Bing for their results.

While the indications suggest a genuine increase in activity, there may be an alternative explanation for Apple’s crawler activity that is less focused on secretive internal projects and more aligned with the company’s publicly stated objectives.

The increased activity could be attributed to Siri handling a greater number of search queries and acting as an intermediary between Apple and search services like Google or Microsoft’s Bing, rather than Apple directly competing with Google on search. Google itself initiated this type of intermediary approach years ago and has continued to refine it to address similar behavior from Siri.

The definition of “search engine” is also relevant. Does it refer to a website where users directly enter queries, or a voice assistant that presents web results under its own branding? Reducing the visibility of a major brand like Google on its own platform is a compelling incentive for any competitor.

Enhancing Siri’s capabilities could also safeguard Apple in the event that regulations require them to offer a choice of search providers during the iOS setup process. This development would not benefit Google, which receives billions of dollars from Apple because iOS users are particularly valuable to its business. Google maintains that users consistently choose Google even when presented with alternatives, potentially reinforcing the strategic rationale for strengthening Siri’s search functionality.

TechCrunch has contacted Apple for a statement and will provide an update upon receiving a response.