We now take Google’s default search engine on iPhones for granted. Though many may believe that Apple kept Google as the search engine by default on iPhones, iPads, and Macs as an act of kindness, the truth is that Google pays Apple a significant sum of money to remain the preferred search engine for iPhone owners.
Here, we’re discussing billions of money, more precisely, “about $18 billion.” These are the amounts that Google paid Apple in 2018 that were disclosed by The New York Times. Different amounts have been circulating in internet groups over the years; some believe Apple receives $15 billion, while others assert that the actual sum was closer to $20 billion. Given the volume of devices they sell and the fact that Apple is a completely different platform, it is not shocking to see Google paying that much to stick with Apple products, especially given the legitimacy attached to the $18 billion figure.
These numbers are noteworthy because they were revealed during Google’s trial in the US, which is still continuing. Google is being accused of entering into anticompetitive agreements with Apple and other parties in order to keep Google Search as the default search engine.
Additionally, Google has been charged for undermining Apple’s attempts to develop its own search engine. Apple may risk losing a sizable portion of its Safari user base and perhaps jeopardizing Google’s multibillion dollar partnership if it were to create its own search engine. Apple is apparently concerned that it won’t be able to compete with Google in the search market, which is why it is considering purchasing Bing in addition to developing its own search engine.
This was also noted by Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, who said that Google may utilize its well-known Workspace applications—like YouTube, Gmail, and Maps—to entice users to switch from Safari to Google Chrome.