Accordingly, executives from the software giant met with Apple's head of services, Eddy Cue, who is also the person who made Google 's current search engine the default on Apple products. The two sides discussed the possibility of acquiring Bing, but no progress was made.
Over the past few years, both companies have had numerous discussions to make Bing their preferred choice, but ultimately Apple has remained loyal to Google. This information comes as the US Department of Justice (DoJ) is pursuing charges against Google for abusing its dominant search engine position to engage in monopolistic competition.
The relationship between Apple and Google is central to the case, as the search giant is alleged to have spent billions of dollars to be the "default" search engine on Apple devices.
At a court hearing earlier this week, Cue denied the allegations, saying the company uses Google's tools because they are the best search option available.
Apple and Google reached their first agreement on a search engine in 2002, before the iPhone maker launched its web browser on Macs. Over time, the two tech giants have expanded their collaboration to other devices, most notably the iPhone.
According to the DoJ, as of 2020, Apple received between $4 billion and $7 billion annually from an agreement whereby Google shared a percentage of revenue from search queries made on the Safari browser on iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
According to Bloomberg, the money raised in this deal was the main reason Apple refused to acquire Bing, despite concerns that Microsoft's product could directly compete with Google.
However, Apple still used Bing in some applications, such as setting it as the default for Siri and Spotlight—the home screen search feature on iPhones and iPads—from 2013 to 2017.
Since 2017, Apple has reverted to using Google as part of an updated revenue-sharing plan.
On September 28, Microsoft's head of business development, Jon Tinter, said the software giant had considered investing billions of dollars in a relationship with Apple in 2016. The tech giant wanted to replace Google and make Bing the default option on Apple devices, and even its top executives, Tim Cook and Satya Nadella, had discussed the matter.
Currently, Google remains the default search engine within Siri, Spotlight, and Safari. Cue stated that the Apple-Google agreement was renewed in 2021. In his testimony, the Apple executive emphasized that Apple saw no need to develop its own search engine, as Google was the best option.
This perspective is said to differ from the approach of the Cupertino, California-based company, as it competes with Google in terms of mapping applications, voice assistants, and operating systems for smartphones and computers.
(According to Bloomberg)
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