Apple decisively rejected Microsoft's proposal to make Bing the default search engine, even if Microsoft were to offer its entire company for free.
Apple's Senior Vice President of Services made it clear that no amount of money or incentive from Microsoft could change Apple’s preference.
Google's dominance reinforces the view that it is the preferred search engine choice for users and major tech companies alike.
It looks like Apple has dashed Microsoft’s hopes of making Bing the default search engine across its ecosystem, sticking with Google instead. Apple decisively rejected Microsoft’s proposal to make Bing the default search engine, even if Microsoft were to offer its entire company for free. According to the latest StatCounter report, Google maintains a commanding lead in the search engine market with a staggering 91.04% share, while Bing lags far behind with just 3.86%.
In a recent ruling, Judge Amit Mehta declared Google a monopolist in the U.S. antitrust case. Google’s dominance reinforces the view that it is the preferred search engine choice for users and major tech companies alike.
Also read: Google to pay Apple $3 billion to remain as default search engine on iOS: Report
Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue, made it clear that no amount of money or incentive from Microsoft could sway Apple’s preference. “I don’t believe there’s a price in the world that Microsoft could offer us. They offered to give us Bing for free. They could give us the whole company,” Cue was quoted as saying in a report by Windows Central.
The longstanding partnership between Apple and Google is marked by substantial financial agreements. Google reportedly paid Apple about $15 billion to secure its search engine dominance. In 2021, the company paid $26 billion to maintain its search engine as the default across Apple devices.
Also read: Apple plans to go big with its search engine ‘Pegasus’: Report
Judge Mehta’s comments highlight that the market reality supports Google’s dominance as the default search engine, reinforcing Apple’s decision. The search quality comparison between Google and Bing in a 2021 study showed Google outperforming Bing across most benchmarks, despite Bing’s strengths in desktop user interface.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella voiced frustration last year over what he perceives as unfair competition, claiming that Google’s exclusive deal with Apple has stunted Bing’s growth. Nadella had even suggested Microsoft would be willing to share 100% of Bing’s revenue to secure a similar deal with Apple, though Apple doubted Bing’s revenue-generating potential.
As Apple continues to prioritise its partnership with Google, it underscores the challenge Microsoft faces in competing for prominence in the search engine space. Despite Bing’s integration of AI and growth to over 140 million daily users, it remains a distant second to Google’s search dominance.
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Ayushi Jain
Tech news writer by day, BGMI player by night. Combining my passion for tech and gaming to bring you the latest in both worlds. View Full Profile
