John Giannandrea, Apple's senior vice president of Machine Learning and AI Strategy, recently testified in the ongoing Google antitrust trial and affirmed that Google is the superior search engine choice over Bing when given the option. According to Giannandrea's testimony, Apple had considered several different search options for Safari, including switching to Bing, but ultimately concluded that Google was the better choice.
Interestingly, Apple had actually looked into partnering with, investing in, or even buying Bing at various times. Years ago, Apple CEO Tim Cook explored the possibility of working with Microsoft's search engine. However, the options presented raised concerns about directly challenging Google's "excellent" search product and jeopardizing the billion-dollar revenue-sharing agreement between Apple and Google.
For over two decades, Apple has designated Google as the default search engine in Safari on all its devices. This arrangement has evolved into a revenue-sharing model, with reports suggesting that Google pays Apple over $10 billion annually to maintain its default status. Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, testified in the antitrust trial and claimed that Google's unfair tactics have hindered the success of Bing. He argued that Google's multibillion-dollar deals to become the default search engine on web browsers and smartphones have made it impossible for competitors like Bing to compete in the market.
Nadella also expressed his willingness to spend up to $15 billion a year to make Bing the default search engine on Apple devices, 50% more than what Google reportedly spends annually. However, Apple's commitment to sticking with Google suggests that money is not the sole factor in their decision. Google maintains its dominant market share because it offers a superior product.
Throughout the trial, Apple and Google have argued that users have the option to easily switch to alternative search engines if they are unhappy with the default choice. Options such as Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, Bing, or Ecosia are available. However, it is clear that Google's search engine remains the preference for the majority of users.
In conclusion, John Giannandrea's testimony in the Google antitrust trial confirmed that Apple sees Google as the superior search engine choice over Bing when given the option. Apple had explored the possibility of working with Bing but ultimately concluded that Google's search product was better. The revenue-sharing agreement between Apple and Google, along with Google's dominant market share, solidify the company as Apple's default search engine.