Apple's search engine deal with Google expires next year, Microsoft and Yahoo both want in

Shawn Knight

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Google could lose its second default search provider partner in as many years. Google’s agreement to be the default search engine provider for Apple’s Safari is set to expire next year and unsurprisingly, there a couple of companies that would love to steal the spot out from under Google.

According to a report from The Information, both Microsoft and Yahoo are already in talks with Apple to replace Google. Specifically, both companies have reached out to Apple Senior Vice President Eddy Cue to pitch their case as to why they’d be a better option.

microsoft yahoo safari apple search default search

While it’s unclear at this time which direction Apple might go, Microsoft already has a foot in the door as Siri relies on Bing to get web-based results. What’s more, OS X Yosemite and Spotlight search both deliver results from Bing.

Microsoft would certainly like to seal the deal but even if Apple picks Yahoo, it wouldn’t be the end of the world considering Yahoo Search is powered by Bing.

Earlier this month, Mozilla revealed it had signed a five-year agreement to make Yahoo the default search engine in Firefox. It was a significant (and lucrative) deal as Mozilla has used Google as its default search provider for the past several years.

That partnership is up at the end of the month at which time Mozilla will make the switch.

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In other news.... bings most searched term for the year is "google"
 
Making it the default engine will only add people who don't use the internet often. People who surf the web a lot will already have a preferred search engine, so spending loads of money to make it default is kind of a waste of time in my eyes. Use that money to better your engine and it won't even matter that it's not the default option, because people will go to it by default when they need to search something. AKA, Google will still be top dog
 
Making it the default engine will only add people who don't use the internet often. People who surf the web a lot will already have a preferred search engine, so spending loads of money to make it default is kind of a waste of time in my eyes. Use that money to better your engine and it won't even matter that it's not the default option, because people will go to it by default when they need to search something. AKA, Google will still be top dog

Were talking about apple devices, 90% of the users don't really care what search engine they use to get there porn as long as its shown there happy :) In all seriousness its between Microsoft and Google, Mozilla has lost touch with these "evil" corporate giants, Apple just wants the most money, and its really looking good for Microsoft atm since apple devs are pretty familiar with use the bing search engine. In the end your "hardcore" users have there favorites and they will switch it to which ever one they want no matter who wins the contract.
 
Have any of these companies actually tried looking for something with Yahoo?

Just think, Apple devices, Intel CPUs, and M$ providing the search engine. Now there's something that would be joined together in, "unholy wedlock".

A circle jerk in any one of those board rooms after this "marriage" is, "consummated", would be enough to make a scoutmaster blush.
 
It may be a big deal to Google, MS & Yahoo but to us it makes no nevermind, we just habitually and automatically set Google as our default search engine and it's off to the races.
 
It may be a big deal to Google, MS & Yahoo but to us it makes no nevermind, we just habitually and automatically set Google as our default search engine and it's off to the races.
That is of course assuming people will actually want to use Google, don't you think? I use Bing, and it works wonderfully for me. 99% of the time, when I cant find something in Bing and I'm so frustrated that I try Google, I have exactly the same disappointing results. I was so used to Google's search engine that when I initially tried out Bing it felt off somehow, but then I got used to it and started using Google less and less to the point where I can go months without ever using Google. Sometimes Google's result set is better, and sometimes Bings is better, but overall I prefer the experience from Bing, which is why I stay with it. Today I really believe Bing has a much better user experience than Google for those that stick with it long enough to see that fact. Not that I actually use an Apple device, but for those that do, its one less step to do by having to switch the search engine to Bing.
 
That is of course assuming people will actually want to use Google, don't you think? I use Bing, and it works wonderfully for me. 99% of the time, when I cant find something in Bing and I'm so frustrated that I try Google, I have exactly the same disappointing results. I was so used to Google's search engine that when I initially tried out Bing it felt off somehow, but then I got used to it and started using Google less and less to the point where I can go months without ever using Google. Sometimes Google's result set is better, and sometimes Bings is better, but overall I prefer the experience from Bing, which is why I stay with it. Today I really believe Bing has a much better user experience than Google for those that stick with it long enough to see that fact. Not that I actually use an Apple device, but for those that do, its one less step to do by having to switch the search engine to Bing.

I think the reason many use google is because a lot of their other products are hooked up (gmail, youtube, adsense, calendar, books, etc) and it becomes the main hub for all of their stuff. While Bing can do some of that too (email, calendar, videos, etc) more people have already built up their online workspace on google. On a search engine level, they are indeed almost identical. I think the reason Bing and Google will continue to fight for the top as apposed to AOL and Yahoo is because the main pages are much less cluttered. When I go to either of those pages it feels like I'm on CNN or Foxnews, and it seems they focus more on that aspect than on the search engine. I don't know, just my opinion
 
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