Google Inc (GOOG), Apple Inc. (AAPL) Battling It Out In Search?

To get an idea of the possibilities in this space, imagine a business traveler is searching for lodging. During the search, the traveler is offered a promotion that includes lodging, meals and entertainment from businesses she has already frequented. The traveler accepts, and the promotion offers are automatically stored in their mobile device. The offer discounts are then automatically included at the point of purchase through the mobile purchase system, removing any need for the traveler to worry about coupons, loyalty cards, etc.

Gartner forecasts that mobile purchases will exceed $617 billion by 2016. The ability to integrate mobile purchases into a seamless search/promotion/purchase experience would provide a substancial source of incremental revenue for both Google and Apple, and significantly differentiate Apple’s iOS and/or Google’s Android from Windows or Blackberry.

Conclusion

Foolish long-term investors benefit when they can identify macro trends that will redefine an entire market. The rapid adoption of smartphones and tablets, combined with increases in the sophistication of verbal recognition technology, provides just such an opportunity to investors.

Stay tuned to learn more about potential winners and losers in this huge, ongoing shift. In the meantime, keep a close eye on Apple and Google as they work to position themselves in this epic war for your words and your wallet.

The article Mobile Search: The Epic War for Your Words and Wallet originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Bill Shambllin.