In a shocking revelation, it has been uncovered that tech giant Google paid Apple a whopping $20 billion in 2022 to ensure that its search engine remains the default option in Apple’s Safari browser. This secret deal, which was brought to light through documents in a U.S. Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit, has raised concerns about Google’s monopoly in the online search industry.
According to the DOJ, Google’s hefty payment to Apple has solidified its dominance in online searches, giving it an unfair advantage over other competitors. Apple executives confirmed that Google pays “billions” for the deal, which was later revealed to be a staggering 36% of Google’s online advertising revenue.
The partnership between Google and Apple dates back to 2002, with the revenue-sharing from search ads coming into play later on. Despite attempts by Microsoft to negotiate with Apple and make Bing the default search engine in Safari, Google’s hold on the market remained strong.
Rumors have also surfaced that Apple is currently in talks with Google to integrate Gemini, Google’s new search engine, into iOS 18. This could potentially result in even more cash flowing from Google to Apple in the future.
With this new information coming to light, it raises concerns about the level of competition in the online search industry and the impact of such lucrative deals on consumer choice. As the DOJ continues to investigate the matter, it remains to be seen how this revelation will shape the future of online search and the tech industry as a whole. Stay tuned to ‘Poh Diaries’ for the latest updates on this developing story.
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