Google paid Apple $18 to be default search engine

As we previously reported, Google pays Apple billions of dollars annually to continue serving as the default search engine on Apple products. It’s even more than the $10 billion we assumed. In fact, a recent allegation claims that Google pays Apple $18 billion to be the default search engine.

Google pays Apple $18 billion a year to be the default search engine

This is a significant amount of money, without a doubt, and it represents a definite profit for Apple. On Macs, iPhones, and iPads, Safari by default searches using Google. The figure was echoed by The New York Times and was mentioned in the opening paragraph. According to reports, Google paid “roughly $18 billion” back in 2021. That figure might be higher at this point.

Given that Google is currently facing an antitrust prosecution, there have been conflicting reports regarding the amounts. They are between $10 billion and $20 billion, but no one has yet stated anything more than $20 billion.

Both businesses gain from this, and Google even serves a secondary role. In essence, it bans Apple from investing in or developing its own search engine. As the trial revealed, Apple did contemplate purchasing Bing at one point. Because of its deal with Apple, Google was able to stop it.

It appears appropriate to refer to this accord as a “peace treaty” as well

This is also akin to a “peace treaty,” as The Verge points out, and that’s a wonderful way to put it. The two businesses have worked out a mutually beneficial agreement. There isn’t a search engine competition that comes close to Google, and Apple makes a huge profit every year.

If the agreement changes, some even speculate that Google will reconsider maintaining all its services on iOS. Naturally, those are merely rumors. Google obviously gains a lot from having its programs available on iOS.