Mike Peterson
Google's deal to remain the default search engine on Apple platforms is a "significant barrier" to rivals, U.K. regulators said Wednesday.
The Mountain View search engine juggernaut reportedly pays Apple billions to remain the default search engine in Safari across Apple's hardware platform. In 2018, for example, Google is said to have shelled out $9 billion for those rights.
According to Reuters, U.K. regulators have been investigating payments between Apple and Google, and in a report published Wednesday, they said that the deal presents a "significant barrier to entry and expansion."
The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority found that Apple received the "substantial majority" of the $1.5 billion that Google paid to be the default search engine on devices in the country.
"Given the impact of preinstallations and defaults on mobile devices and Apple's significant market share, it is our view that Apple's existing arrangements with Google create a significant barrier to entry and expansion for rivals affecting competition between search engines on mobiles," the regulators wrote.
The report goes on to suggest that U.K enforcement authorities should be given a range of options to address the deal, including requiring the ability for users to choose a default search engine.
Another option could be to restrict Apple's ability to monetize default search engine positions — something that Apple told regulators would be "very costly."
In addition to the default Safari search engine position, Apple switched its Siri, iOS and Spotlight features from Bing to Google in 2017.
The report comes amid increased antitrust scrutiny into both Apple and Google in the U.S. and Europe.
U.S. Justice Department lawyers are said to be "scrutinizing" Apple's App Store policies, and the European Commission is also investigating allegations of anti-competitive practices on the app marketplace.
Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Wesley Hilliard
Andrew Orr
12 Comments
It’s weird that they look at this, rather than how google force feed chrome to everyone that visits their website.
Fact is that there is too much power with too few companies
"Apple's significant market share"? I thought Android was King in the UK.
Even though I don't like it, Google's search engine is king. No one comes close for whatever reason. I use DDG sometimes but they aren't even close to Google IMHO. So the regulators want to take money out of Apple's mouth so others can be default? They can be default already. We just have to choose them. Isn't that the idea? The better experience wins right? We get to choose not the regulators. Old bast..ds.
Money grab again for the UK? Like they are always after an American company for something and it ALWAYS ENDS IN A FINE $$.