Google claims Microsoft tried to sell Bing to Apple (court papers reveal)

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In the ever-evolving world of technology, a surprising revelation has recently surfaced. The tech giant, Microsoft, had reportedly attempted to sell its search engine, Bing, to Apple. This intriguing piece of news has been making waves in the tech community, sparking a flurry of online discussions.

 

The details of these acquisition talks came to light as part of the US Justice Department’s lawsuit alleging Google has a monopoly in the web search industry. Google argued that the relationship between Microsoft and Apple – including acquisition talks – is evidence that Google does indeed have “competition” in the search industry.

 

The story unfolded in 2018 when Microsoft approached Apple with an offer to sell Bing or establish a Bing-related joint venture. This was not the first time Microsoft had made such an approach. It was believed that Microsoft had pitched Apple on making Bing the default search engine in Safari on at least seven different occasions: 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2020. However, each time, Apple declined the offer, citing concerns about Bing’s search quality.

 

Despite Microsoft’s efforts to tout improvements in Bing’s search quality, Apple’s services boss, Eddy Cue, expressed that Microsoft’s search quality and investment in search were not significant. He also pointed out that their advertising organization and how they monetize was not very good.

 

The revenue generated from Google’s deal with Apple, where Google pays billions of dollars to be the default search engine on Apple’s platforms, was a key reason why Apple’s talks to acquire Bing never advanced beyond exploratory stages.

 

This revelation has certainly stirred up the tech world, raising questions about the future of search engines and the dynamics between these tech behemoths. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think Apple should have considered Microsoft’s offer? Share your views in the comments below.

 

 

Read more:

• https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/09/28/microsoft-entered-negotiations-to-sell-bing-to-apple-in-2020
• https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/24/google-says-microsoft-offered-to-sell-bing-to-apple-in-2018.html
• https://9to5mac.com/2024/02/24/microsoft-sell-bing-to-apple/

 

 

Top image: Dimarik16 | Dreamstime.com