Insiders recently unveiled that back in 2020, Microsoft approached Apple with a proposal to sell its Bing search engine. Had the deal gone through, Bing might have dethroned Google as the primary search engine on Apple’s devices.
Key Highlights:
- Microsoft approached Apple in 2020 with a proposal to sell Bing.
- The discussions were led by Apple’s services chief, Eddy Cue, who had previously established the company’s search engine partnership with Google.
- Despite the talks, the negotiations remained preliminary and never progressed to a conclusive stage.
- Apple’s lucrative deal with Google, which involves billions in revenue sharing, played a significant role in the decision to retain Google as the default search engine.
- The US Department of Justice’s ongoing case against Google’s search dominance has brought these discussions into the spotlight.
- Apple’s long-standing relationship with Google began in 2002, even before the launch of Apple’s first Mac web browser.
- Microsoft’s Bing, despite being a competitor since 2009, holds less than 10% of the search market, with Google maintaining its dominant position.
- Apple’s decision to stick with Google was influenced by both financial considerations and concerns about Bing’s competitive capabilities.
- Bing was briefly the default search engine for Siri and Spotlight from 2013 to 2017, before Apple reverted to Google.
The tech landscape has always been rife with competition, collaborations, and missed opportunities. This revelation about Microsoft’s Bing and Apple’s negotiations is a testament to the ever-evolving dynamics of the industry. While Bing has struggled to capture a significant market share since its inception, Google’s stronghold in the search domain remains unchallenged.
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Apple’s decision to continue its partnership with Google, despite the ongoing legal scrutiny, underscores the tech giant’s confidence in Google’s search capabilities. The financial incentives from the deal further solidify the partnership. However, it’s intriguing to imagine a scenario where Apple might have integrated Bing or its underlying technology into its ecosystem.
