Here's how much money Apple got from Google for allowing Search to be default engine on iPhones

Google Search

Alphabet — Google’s parent company — paid a staggering $20 billion to Apple in 2022 to maintain its status as the default search engine on Safari, Apple’s web browser. According to a report by Bloomberg, the amount Google paid in 2021 was around $15 billion.

The numbers were disclosed through documents which are a part of the US Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Google. One of the main premise of the antitrust case is how Google’s deal with Apple has monopolised online search business.

The amount paid by Google to Apple has increased in the last couple of years. It was $15 billion in 2021 and the recent increase shows the growing importance of maintaining a default position in a world where search engines drive significant advertising revenue — especially for Google.

Apple does give users a choice to change the search engine on all of its devices. There are options like Bing, DuckDuckGo available to users. However, by default, Google Search is set as the primary search engine in Safari on iPhones, iPads and Macs. Google does get a readymade vast customer base as Apple has billions of activated devices.

The deal also highlights the competitive landscape of the tech industry, where companies like Microsoft have attempted to negotiate similar agreements with Apple, albeit unsuccessfully. In fact, it was reported that Microsoft wanted to sell Bing to Apple. The DOJ has argued that the deal stifles competition and give an unfair advantage to already dominant players in the market.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Apple is in talks with Google to integrate Gemini AI in its devices. Apple is also rumoured to be in talks with OpenAI as well. Considering the legal hassle, the Search deal has brought on Apple and Google, the Cupertino-based tech giant might not have any exclusive deal with one company when it comes to integrating third-party generate AI model.

Also read: Google announces more layoffs from its ‘Core’ employees group, moves some positions to India and Mexico: Report