Apple Mulling Dumping Google for Bing as Default iPhone Search
9:57 am, January 20th, 2010, Ed Sutherland
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” It’s an ancient proverb being revived amid reports Apple is turning to its old foe Microsoft to blunt the growth of Cupertino’s newest rival, Google. Apple is mulling making Microsoft’s Bing the iPhone’s default search engine as it increasingly competes with the Mountain View, Calif. Internet giant.
The BusinessWeek report cites two people “allegedly familiar” with the discussions between Apple and Microsoft. The publication says the Redmond, Wash. software giant “is now a pawn” in the struggle between Apple and Google over handsets, browsers, operating systems and advertising.
In another move highlighting the increased rivalry, Apple recently created a new position – vice president of Mobile Advertising – and filled it with Andy Miller, former CEO of Quattro Wireless, a mobile advertising firm the iPhone and iPod maker purchased for $275 million. The acquisition of Quattro followed Google wooing, then winning adMob, Quattro’s chief rival.
The report suggests Apple may prefer to eventually go it alone in the mobile search arena, without Google or Microsoft. The Cupertino, Calif. firm has created a “skunk works” with the aim of developing its own mobile search platform, according to the publication.
Apple now likens its move into mobile advertising as what it accomplished with the iPhone and iPod. Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs envisions his company overhauling mobile advertising in the same way it changed the face of phones and music players. The company may take a page from Google, earning revenue from ads in App Store software.
With the two companies going after so many similar markets, in 2009 the U.S. Federal Trade Commission began looking into whether there were any improper ties between the two firms. That action led to Google CEO Eric Schmidt resigning from Apple’s board of directors.
[Via BusinessWeek, AppleInsider and Silicon Alley Insider]
Posted by Ed Sutherland in News | Comment on this article
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Bing Sucks!
Sully, on January 20th, 2010 at 10:05 am
bing sucks ass
erica, on January 20th, 2010 at 10:07 am
iSearch rocks
Namhar, on January 20th, 2010 at 10:10 am
this is not a good thing.
Lonnie Lazar, on January 20th, 2010 at 10:15 am
Get back in bed with Google, Steve.
HiramHolliday, on January 20th, 2010 at 10:31 am
Apple needs to stay as far away from Microsoft as possible. At least Google cares about its services like Apple. Kinda like Apple’s little brother. They see how popular they are and want to be just like them.
Just let Microsoft crash and burn. Microsoft is on life support and only hanging in there from there by a thread on their little Windows software. Microsoft is like that jock bully in high school, and now its come time for the reunion and they have a beer gut working at the drive thru.
Nitrog7, on January 20th, 2010 at 11:05 am
its a stupid idea….
mchiareli, on January 20th, 2010 at 11:59 am
Yes Bing sucks, why would anyone want to us it. Stay with Google
BobMc, on January 20th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
This is what happens when Google/Android starts to mess with Apple and tries to encroach on the success of the iPhone.
I’m not surprised. Apple is no longer concerned about Microsoft (because Microsoft is perceived as a much weaker and more low-key company these days). Apple is now concerned that Google wants to get their fingers into everything, in addition to Google aiming to be the next Evil Empire (which was the title Microsoft formerly had).
Mattzook, on January 20th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
And besides, Bing is not too shabby. They just need to clean up the interface a little better, clean up the clutter, which is not too hard to do.
Mattzook, on January 20th, 2010 at 6:20 pm
Only on CoM can you see people who think microsoft is going bankrupt
nabil2199, on January 20th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
CoM = Cheerleaders of Microsoft? You’re one of them nabil?
Mattzook, on January 20th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
Mattzook, I in fact hate microsoft with the greatest of passions their tactics are anti-competitive but let’s not lie to ourselves microsoft is still a juggernaut, granted not as powerful as they were but still.
P.S. I’m a tech loving long time linux user
nabil2199, on January 20th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
I am a long-time Mac user, and I think sometimes you should perhaps consider alternatives — like using a Mac instead of a PC! There constantly seems to be ‘rah-rahs’ for Google while Bing receives boos and hisses. I’m not sure if I completely buy into this Google hyper-mania which many people seem to perpetuate. Just because something is familiar (like windows xp) does not mean something else cannot be better.
Personally, I cannot on many occasions see much of a difference between Google and Bing. I’ve really tried to dislike Bing. But on some things, Bing actually seems to be the better choice.
So I actually hope Apple does add Bing, along with the already available Google and Yahoo. Just open it up and let the user decide. Apple makes money with any of their built-in search choices, so I doubt they would ever remove Google. Who cares how the ‘default’ from the factory is set? (just ‘google’ it if you are confused on how to choose a different search engine in the search engine list I guess, haha).
Brian, on January 21st, 2010 at 12:06 am
Why wouldn’t they pick yahoo for a search engine?
I hear Yahoo is the most visited site on the internet
king, on January 21st, 2010 at 8:16 am