Apple won't make a Google search rival, says Cue

Eddy Cue at the 2014 Code Conference (Source: Re/code)

As previously reported, Apple's Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue, is scheduled to testify as a witness in the US vs Google antitrust trial. Ahead of his appearance, CNBC says that he is expected to defend Apple's deal with Google.

Specifically, Cue is expected to tell the federal court that Apple will not create a rival search engine, despite multiple previous rumors, going back some years. Sources familiar with his expected testimony say that Apple doesn't believe there is a reason to create an 'Apple Search," because Google already exists.

This does fit with Tim Cook saying in 2018 of Google, that "I think their search engine is the best."

Eddy Cue negotiated the deal between Google and Apple. While details are not public, CNBC says it is estimated that Google will pay up to $19 billion this year, in order to stay as the default search engine on iPhones.

Cue's testimony is in an antitrust case brought against Google by the US Department of Justice. Apple is not part of the case, but Cue and other Apple executives have been subpoenaed to provide testimony.

Controversially, the trial has already seen Justice Department attorney Kenneth Dintzer allegedly share information about confidential trade secrets in a public call. Apple has filed a confidentiality protest.

The trial is expected to last for ten weeks.