Apple to Make Bing Default Search Engine?

[Paul Daniel Ash]

Microsoft and Apple are said to be discussing a deal to make Microsoft's Bing the default search engine on the iPhone. In a classic example of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" strategy, BusinessWeek reports that Apple is going to its traditional arch-rival Microsoft as an ally in its new war against Google. But according to at least one analyst, the move carries great risks for Apple's brand identity.

Apple and Google have increasingly been coming into direct competition as Apple moves into online services such as mobile ads and as Google brings its Android mobile OS and Nexus One phone to market. According to BusinessWeek, Microsoft and Apple are not only discussing making Bing search the iPhone default, but also incorporating it as the default search engine on Apple's Safari browser.

"Apple and Google know the other is their primary enemy," said an anonymous source, supposedly with knowledge of Apple's plans, who was quoted by BusinessWeek in their story. The source also noted Apple's interest in the mobile advertisement business. Earlier this month, Apple bought the mobile ad company Quattro Wireless for $275 million US, Coming after Google's acquisition of ad firm AdMob, the purchase indicated that the two companies were opening a war for the mobile ad market. Apple could leverage its existing business to bootstrap its mobile ad enterprise, likely offering developers the ability to do in-app advertising, and take a cut of the ad sales like Google does now.

One analyst, however, sees potential danger in this alliance. AppleInsider features Oppenheimer's Yair Reiner saying that an Apple-Microsoft deal could be risky for Apple, which has created its marketing identity over the years as an alternative to Microsoft, and most recently making fun of Windows in its "Get a Mac" ads. "Cozying up (to Microsoft) could bring more risk than reward, not least because it would clash with the Mac vs. PC campaign and the Apple brand identity that has coalesced around it," Reiner said.

If the deal comes to pass, it would position Bing for significant growth in the search engine wars. Bing had only 10.7% of all US search traffic in December, according to market analysis firm Comscore, while Google had an overwhelming lead at 65.7%.

image via AppAdvice.com

[Melech518]

hmmm.....Not sure if I am a fan, but if it causes stock to rise then I am all for it

[kraziebone]

Not a fan of bing, so I would just change it back to google but the majority of people are too lazy or just don't care enough to do so. I could see this as a big push for bing. I remember when yahoo was my main search engine and then for reasons I can't even remember I started using google.

[moon#pie]

NOOOO! I hate bing with passion! there better be an option to set the search bar as bing or google. Big mistake apple.....

[sandstorm77]

Bing is great for online shopping. Bing gives you cashback rewards for many online retailers such as dell, Bestbuy, Sears.......some as much as 15%. Thats $300 cash back on a $2000 television.

Other than online shopping i would still stick to google.

[goodgod2]

Bing is actually pretty good. But it hard for people to change what they have been used to which is google.

[sangredegrillo]

Bing as the default search engine in my iPhone?..i don't like how that sounds

[ukoda]

The logic of the argument is faulty. The idea that Apple would move away from Google is fine but why is it automatically assume they would move to Bing? It's not like they don't have choices, search engines aren't magic, just money. They could simply move to one of the other search engines which is not either Google or Bing but I think it's more likely they would simply create their own search engine. While it would cost a bit they certainly have the resources and it would be a new income stream so could even be profitable.

[yentrog31]

has anybody ever clicked on an ad on the iPhone?....How they get revenue from that I'll never know....I click on ads on web pages all the time on PC.

[TooSlo]

The Apple fanboy tears sustain me!

Don't worry guys, MS users actively include all users. We aren't elitist pricks, the water is fine here!

[k.nitsua]

First fonts, now this? Curse you, Apple!!!! Your blaspheme knows no boundaries!!!!




Meh, I could care less about this. I still end up just going to the actual google.com page anyways - force of habit I suppose. Never used bing but have been tempted to with the recent push in advertisements.

Hey, maybe this could lead to the promiseland... a sanctioned hackint0sh.


... naw....

[StealthBravo]

oh well time for Apple to make their own search engine

[TooSlo]

...Never used bing but have been tempted to with the recent push in advertisements...

I'll admit that I do enjoy my PC and have several friends who work at the big MS. It's inevitable if you're tech related and live in the same city as the main MS campus.

That being said, Bing takes a little trial and error. I think they do a lot of things right, and at the same time are working to improve the engine on a regular basis.

A little bird told me that MS dogfoods some newer versions of the engine that post both Bing and Google results next to one another. The users then report which site had more relevant results. These algorithms are growing constantly and MS has done a good job in making a new choice for search engines.

[SquareWheel]

search engines aren't magic, just money.

I don't think you realize the complexities of a search engine. It's not as simple as running a spider and building a clever algorithm. It is a huge technology, and not something Apple can just pull out of their butts.

I agree 100% that going with Bing instead of Google would conflict with their advertising campaign. It'd a bad idea. Apple may switch gears and start attacking Google in their ads as well, but that's a pretty risky move. We'll see what happens.

[ryanofdiamonds]

Apple may switch gears and start attacking Google in their ads as well, but that's a pretty risky move. We'll see what happens.

oooo now that would be fun. sorry to all you macboys out there as well as you PCguys... but google is the future of all. just wait til chrome OS. and you can quote me on that. /quote

[mgebara]

Apple and Google should just merge and stick it to MS.

Goopple anyone?

[redcard]

oooo now that would be fun. sorry to all you macboys out there as well as you PCguys... but google is the future of all. just wait til chrome OS. and you can quote me on that. /quote

I don't think anyone is going to be quoting you, to be entirely honest...

[lolcats1]

if you haven't, download the bing app. it is SLICK

Apple and Google should just merge and stick it to MS.

won't happen for a long *** time. they are at each others throats. very literally. ever read any of the other threads on this site, at all?

[battlecrushr]

i dont know if this will work
i have never been to bing
and if i need something the first thing i think is google

[TooSlo]

i dont know if this will work
i have never been to bing
and if i need something the first thing i think is google

And what exactly did you do before Google? Are you saying that such a black/white mode of thinking is appropriate in this regard?


So if we took a ride in the Wayback Machine, in a previous time you would have said something like this?

i dont know if this will work
i have never been to google
and if i need something the first thing i think is

Seems as though your Google fanboy colors are showing through your hypocrisy covered tee-shirt.