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In a statement filed Monday, Apple's senior vice president of services Eddy Cue said Apple has no interest in building its own search engine and would prefer to continue using Google.
In 2022, Google paid Apple $20 billion to become the default search engine on its devices. The result was a boon for both Google and Apple, with Apple taking about 36% of the ad revenue generated by Safari search results.
The declaration, seen by Reuters, is Apple's attempt to defend Google. Cue's position is the same one the company has been advocating for quite some time.
The filing lists several reasons why Apple is happy with its deal with Google. It also explains why the Cupertino tech giant has no interest in building its own search engine.
According to Cue, if Apple were to build a search engine from scratch, it would divert important resources from other areas. Cue says the move would cost “billions of dollars and take many years.”
He also notes that the project would be extremely risky because search is evolving rapidly due to ongoing developments in artificial intelligence.
Finally, Cue points out that building a viable search engine would require Apple to also build a platform to sell targeted advertising. He notes that Apple does not have the infrastructure or staff to do so.
Cue also counters, pointing out that while Google is the default, users can choose other alternatives like Yahoo!, Microsoft Bing, DuckDuckGo, or Ecosia.
Another remedy proposed by regulators is that Google could remain the default, but only if Apple no longer receives advertising revenue from Google. This would also potentially prohibit Apple from entering into future deals with Google.
Cue argues that Apple should be left to decide what kind of partnership is best for its users. He believes that if Apple implements any of the Justice Department's remedies, it would “impair Apple's ability to continue to deliver products that best meet the needs of its users.”
In 2023, the Justice Department alleged that Google knew it was violating antitrust laws and then tried to cover it up. Apple's search engine results deal was used as evidence.
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