The big news of the day was Apple buying mobile search startup Siri. This is pretty big news as it effectively blunts one of the key advantages Android has had, namely very tightly integrated search at the OS level. Voice recognition doesn’t hurt either.
This year continues to be transformative as Apple is not only now in the mobile advertising business but also has the platform to enable and monetize mobile search at the OS level as a core service. Siri has already gotten rave reviews as a next-gen search service and now it’s a Cupertino exclusive. Look for expanded services to be included as part of the Siri offering as well as a huge value for those services selected to be chosen a part of the Siri eco-system. Deep and tight search services as part of the core mobile experience are now going to be table stakes as an offering. Expect more deals in the space in the weeks ahead.