- Google is looking to push more iPhone users to use its apps.
- The goal is to limit the potential impact of Search possibly losing its default status on Safari.
- The company has considered locking AI-powered features to its own apps, but ultimately decided against it.
You may remember hearing reports that Google is paying Apple billions to keep Search as the default search engine option on Safari. Additionally, you may remember hearing that Google is facing an antitrust lawsuit regarding the practice. A new report claims that the Mountain View-based firm is attempting to prepare for the possibility of losing its default status by trying to get more iPhone users to use its Google or Chrome apps for their searches.
Google and Apple currently have a revenue-sharing agreement for Google Search to remain the default search engine on the mobile version of Safari. However, the judge in charge of making a ruling on the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) antitrust case is expected to hand down their decision in the next few months.