In a declaration filed on Monday, Apple’s senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue, asserted that Apple has no interest in creating its own search engine and would prefer to continue to use Google.
In 2022, Google paid Apple $20 billion to be the default search engine on its devices. The result was a boon for both Google and Apple, with Apple receiving about 36% of the ad revenue generated from Safari search result advertising.
The declaration, spotted by Reuters, is Apple’s attempt at defending Google. Cue’s stance is the same one that the company has defended for quite some time now.
The declaration lists several reasons Apple is satisfied with its deal with Google. It also explains why the Cupertino tech giant has no interest in creating its own search engine.
According to Cue, if Apple were to create a search engine from the ground up, it would divert important resources away from other areas. Cue says the move would cost “billions of dollars and take many years.”
He also notes that the project would be exceptionally risky, as search is evolving rapidly due to ongoing developments in artificial intelligence.
Lastly, Cue points out that building a viable search engine would require Apple to also make a platform to sell targeted advertising. He notes that Apple does not have the infrastructure or the employees needed to do so.
Cue also pushes back and highlights that while Google is set to be the default, users can choose other alternatives such as Yahoo!, Microsoft Bing, DuckDuckGo, or Ecosia.
The other proposed remedy regulators have offered would be that Google could remain the default, but only if Apple would no longer receive advertising revenue from Google. It would also potentially prohibit Apple from striking future deals with Google.
Cue argues that Apple should be given the right to decide what collaborations best serve its users. He believes that if Apple were to implement either of the DOJ’s remedies, it would “hamstring Apple’s ability to continue delivering products that best serve its users’ needs.”
In 2023, the Department of Justice declared that Google knew it was breaking antitrust laws and then attempted to cover it up. Apple’s search engine result deal was used as evidence.
