
Google pays Apple $1B (or more) - davidatyc
https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/20/google-needs-to-pay-apple-a-small-fortune-to-remain-the-default-search-engine-on-ios/
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sctb
Previous discussion:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15009278](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15009278)

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dmix
They wouldn't pay it unless it made good business sense. And besides "just
works" Apple wouldn't want to have to offer a subpar default search offering
to their users. So it's always win-win.

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Mahn
> Apple wouldn't want to have to offer a subpar default search offering to
> their users

That's what people thought about maps, too.

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JumpCrisscross
I've actually switched, after a long time, to using Apple Maps as my default
mapping application. It's good enough for 99.9% of the time. And I like its
privacy-conscious construction.

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PappaPatat
I drive a lot of car KM's in Europe. Apple Maps is bad when it comes to
guiding me over the best (read: moving traffic) roads compared to Google Maps.
As much as I enjoy particular instructions (specifically the indication of
highway splits) from Apple Maps, Google Maps just keeps me moving and prevents
stalls way better over here. Short distances it matters less. That might be
your 99.9%?

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rhinoceraptor
It makes perfect sense when you remember that the reason Android exists is to
get users into the Google ecosystem, as a loss leader. iOS exists to sell
expensive handsets. I don’t think Google cares what phone you have as long as
all of your valuable data is in Google services and you’re viewing Google ads.

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ocdtrekkie
Mostly true, but note that Android isn't a "loss leader" by any stretch,
Google has made tens of billions on it:
[http://www.investors.com/news/technology/google-has-raked-
in...](http://www.investors.com/news/technology/google-has-raked-in-21b-in-
android-profit-says-oracle/)

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firefoxd
Isn't it interesting that the fight is between Google and Apple, while the
consumer is the one holding the product in hand.

They did a extraordinary job of taking control over the final user. The user
has the power ("ability" but let's exaggerate) to switch to any search engine
they want, thwarting any decision these two companies make. But that's too
complicated, let's leave it to the techies.

I really wish for a mandatory class in schools where students are demystified
about computers.

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twblalock
> I really wish for a mandatory class in schools where students are
> demystified about computers.

I do too, but I don't see how it would make a difference in this situation.

I know plenty about computers and I choose to use Google search anyway,
because I've tried the alternatives and they are nowhere near as good. I
choose to use Apple products too, because I prefer them to the alternatives.

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firefoxd
Yes, and with your powers you choose google. If apple was to switch your
default, you will silently go to settings and restore it to google search. Now
imagine not even knowing there is a choice to be made.

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endlessvoid94
Suggest new title: "Google pays Apple $1B to remain default search engine
(2014)"

There is no new story here. At all. The title is very misleading. Google paid
Apple $1B in 2014, and they're digging this up to reuse old content. They
speculate that the amount has grown since then.

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ehsankia
But doesn't Siri use Bing? So this is only for Safari? Isn't it a weird
experience if one app uses Google for search and another uses Bing?

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ocdtrekkie
Not really, results are results. And they're usually pretty similar anyways.
Also, consider that when searching with Siri, Apple is controlling the
formatting of those results as well, so they will fit Apple's style, not
Bing's.

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teej
When Siri decides your request needs web search results, it uses Bing by
default. You can override this by asking Siri to "google search" for your
term. The behavior is different in that it will open your default browser to a
Google search results page.

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bnewton149
"Google needs to pay Apple a small fortune to remain the default search engine
on iOS" Since when was $1B a small fortune?

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justonepost
I wonder how much apple pays Samsung.

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ngsayjoe
I've been trying to run Adwords Universal Campaign on my iOS app, but Google
just wouldn't drive any traffic to my iOS app while similar Android campaign
works like a charm. Is Google trying to undermine Apple via its Search/Adwords
monopoly here?

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Abishek_Muthian
Could you be bit more elaborate about your objective? Is it get your iOS app
installs via Ads. More impressions/clicks on the ads, gets more money for
Google, I don't see a reason for them to restrict that in any ways; in-fact
the whole article is about it's importance.

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ngsayjoe
Yes trying to get more installs for my apps but Adwords just wont run my iOS
campaign while Android runs very well. This has nothing to do with Google
controlling Play Store because when i see the placement source it is driving
traffic mostly from youtube.com.

