Breaking Google’s stranglehold on search may sound like an impossible task, but this is exactly what Apple could do with Siri, the iPhone 5, and iOS6. Rather than challenge Google at desktop search, as Bing has unsuccessfully attempted to do for years, Apple is targeting the mobile and casual search demographics. According to Reuters, this means focusing on “quick, digestible bite-sized results” relating to “restaurants, movies, sports, business listings, maps and locations.” These searches are “closely linked to location, time and intent,” making them highly valuable to advertisers.

When searching through Siri, users leapfrog Google’s advertisements and are immediately directed to source content.

Marketing intelligence firm eMarketer predicted to Reuters that US search advertising industry will grow 30% this year to $19.5 billion and mobile advertising will jump from $1.45 billion to $2.6 billion. While Google dominates marketshare in both industries, a significant portion of its traffic comes from Apple products. “Apple devices running the company’s iOS operating system are the biggest source of Google’s mobile revenue, generating roughly 40 percent of the total,” claims Piper Jafray analyst Gene Munster. If Apple continues its emigration from Google products, the search engine’s superiority will be at risk.

As smartphones and tablets are increasingly used to access the internet, I have no doubt that we will see a rise in the use of voice-controlled search. The ease of pushing a button and saying, “Where can I buy running shoes near me?” is irrefutably easier than stumbling through your phone’s browser. Whether most of that use goes to Siri, Android software, or elsewhere is yet to be seen, but the widespread popularity of the iPhone certainly gives Apple a leg up on its competition.

[image via JoeDepot]