It’s no secret that Google pays Apple big money to be the default search engine for the Safari web browser on iOS and macOS. In 2021, the company paid $15 billion to keep Google as the default search engine on Apple’s platforms. Now a report reveals how much Google spent to extend the deal until 2022.
Google paid Apple $20 billion in 2022
According to a Bloomberg report, Google paid Apple about $20 billion to keep its search engine as the default Safari in 2022. The amount was disclosed through documents filed as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Google.
The Justice Department believes that Google has a monopoly on online search, and the Google-Apple settlement is one of the main targets of this lawsuit.
The contract between the two companies was supposed to be concluded secretly. Apple executives testified during the trial that Google paid “billions” but declined to say how much. Witnesses later revealed that Google pays Apple 36 percent of its online advertising revenue. The report states: “The agreement with Apple is the most important standard contract for Google.”
The partnership between Apple and Google began in 2002, but it took some time before the two companies decided to split search advertising revenue. Previous reports suggest that Microsoft is currently trying to negotiate with Apple to make Bing the default search engine in Safari and even sell Bing to Apple.
The Cupertino-based company could soon get more money from Google as Apple is rumored to be negotiating with Google to use Gemini in iOS 18.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
