What if the Bing search engine changed ownership? An eternal outsider in this market, Microsoft has never been able to compete with Google in its field. This situation raises some questions about the future of Bing. The integration of AI now dispels doubts, but Bing’s situation could have been very different.
According to information from Bloomberg, Microsoft has discussed a sale of its search engine with Google. The discussions date back to 2022 and Microsoft executives met with Eddy Cue, Apple’s Vice President in charge of services, without reaching an agreement.
Google, a cumbersome giant for Microsoft
This story resurfaces in the middle of a trial between Google and the US Department of Justice. It aims to determine whether the search giant has abused its dominant position in its preferred segment. The relationship between Apple and Google is at the heart of the matter. Indeed, Google is paying billions of dollars for Safari to offer its default search engine on the iPhone and other devices.
The agreement is important for Google, which secures an important place on the devices of a prestigious brand. On the Cupertino side, this provides a significant source of income. Beginning in 2002, the agreement extended to the brand’s various products and would bring in 4 to 7 billion dollars per year for Apple.
Google and Apple, for a handful of billions
This large sum would be one of the main reasons why Apple refused to acquire Bing. The Apple brand was also worried about the search engine’s ability to compete with Google. However, Apple has already used Bing on certain services and rumors have claimed that Apple is considering launching its own search engine.
As part of this lawsuit, Eddy Cue assured that his company does not need to develop its own tool which is the best possible choice. We can nevertheless think that Apple could revise its copy in the years to come with the arrival of AI. The arrival of artificial intelligence in Bing shows the potential of this technology, even if Microsoft’s tool remains far from Google Search.
For now, Apple continues to compete with Google in other areas such as mapping, voice assistants and even operating systems. The two firms also have significant disagreements, particularly on the issue of RCS support. On Bing’s side, the search engine now seems to be used as a means of pressure against Google.
Earlier this year, rumors surfaced that Google might be replacing Bing on Samsung’s Galaxy devices. Ultimately, the South Korean manufacturer chose the Mountain View firm. A Microsoft executive also believes that Apple used Bing as a “bargaining chip” for its negotiations with Apple. “Apple makes more money from Bing than Bing”, indicates this leader. He adds that his company is trying “still convincing Apple to use our search engine”.