Google and Apple have a secret deal that affects iPhone users. Google pays Apple billions of dollars every year to be the default search engine on the iPhone. This secret agreement helps Google dominate the online search market and make more money from advertising. The money Google pays helps Apple fund its product development and innovation.
iPhone users: Have you ever wondered why Google Search is the default search engine on the iPhone?
That's because they have a secret deal.
Google pays Apple billions each year to keep it the default search engine.
Business Insider reported that Google paid Apple up to $15 billion in their secret deal, which is also why Apple walked away from meetings to potentially make DuckDuckGo a default search engine on Apple products. This amount would account for about one-fifth of Apple's annual income worldwide.
CNBC reported that Google paid multiple companies $26.3 billion in 2021 to keep Google Search as the default search engine on mobile phones and web browsers. This number includes the amount it paid to Apple.
Not everyone wants Google to be their default search engine.
It is public knowledge that Google tracks online behavior, uses personal data, and influences search results. Other search engines offer more privacy, security, and even social good.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google in 2020. The lawsuit claims Google has unlawfully maintained its monopoly in the online search market by entering into exclusive agreements with Apple and other device makers to prevent them from using other search engines. The lawsuit claims Apple received between $8 to $15 billion.
The DOJ complaint stated:
“Google pays billions of dollars each year to distributors—including popular-device manufacturers such as Apple, LG, Motorola, and Samsung; major U.S. wireless carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon; and browser developers such as Mozilla, Opera, and UCWeb—to secure default status for its general search engine and, in many cases, to specifically prohibit Google’s counterparties from dealing with Google’s competitors.”
How to Change the Default Search Engine on Your iPhone
Here’s how you can change Google Search from your default on your iPhone it in a few steps:
- Go to Settings on your iPhone and tap Safari
- Tap Search Engine
- Choose the search engine you want to use from the list. You can choose to stick with Google or go with Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo and Ecosia
- Close the Settings app and open Safari. You will see that your new search engine is now the default
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