Apple’s Attempted Bing Take‑over: A Tale of Rejected Deals and Google’s Sweet Deals
Back in 2020, Microsoft and Apple had a flirtation that turned out to be more of a “hi‑wave but no handshake” story. Bloomberg’s insiders say the tech giants almost swapped search engines or at least considered swapping Bing for Apple’s empty search slot.
What the Negotiations Looked Like
- Microsoft’s Proposal: “Let’s hand over Bing to you. We’ll be happy to make it your default search engine on every iPhone.”
- Apple’s Counter‑Move: Ed Cue, Apple’s exec, was listening with a squint, but the talk didn’t go anywhere.
- Dollar Dilemma: Apple got a funny double‑check from Google. The company claimed it had a “huge sum” ready to keep its users glued to Google’s O(2) search engine.
Why the Deal Fell Flat
It turns out the Apple publicist found Bing’s credentials mediocre compared to Google’s gourmet search engine. Combining that with the fact that Google was already paying Apple to stay as the default on iPhones, the Microsoft proposition looked like a bargain that wasn’t worth it.
Bottom Line
Even though Microsoft may have been ready to cut the price and give Bing away, Apple’s love affair with Google’s search capabilities put the deal on ice. The result? Apple keeps its users on Google, and Microsoft is left with its own search engine, still very popular among Windows users.
So, next time you type a search into your iPhone, remember there was a time when a tech titanic was almost swapping its search engine—and it didn’t happen. Maybe that’s a nice little reminder that no dazzling deal turns out to be a win-win story in the tech world.
Google & Apple’s Big Deal—And Why It’s Stirring Up Trouble
Picture this: two tech giants sit down, hand shake, and agree on a pact that keeps Google as the default search engine on every Apple device—Macs, iPads, iPhones.
Back in 2021, the two were raking in somewhere between $4 billion and $7 billion a year just for that privilege.
The Antitrust Shock‑Wave
The Department of Justice (DoJ) took one glance at the numbers and went, “Hold up, Google has a monopoly on search.”
That sparked a full‑blown antitrust showdown between the DoJ and our twin titans.
What It Means For You
Don’t worry—Apple fans aren’t trapped. If you’re feeling a little rebellious, you can switch out Google for any of these search engines:
- Ecosia – “Search, and…
plants grow” - Yahoo – the classic, still here
- Bing – powered by Microsoft, because why not?
- …and many more
So whether you’re a casual Googler or a search‑engine skeptic, you have options out there.
Just remember: the choice is yours—no one can force you to follow the default path.
