Google paid Apple $1 billion to keep its search bar on the iPhone

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Apple and Google have always been known as the brawling rivals when it comes to the smartphone world, trying to best each other when it comes to their products. Though this is still true today, the two companies may still hold a place for collaborations.

It has been recently revealed that Google paid $1 billion to Apple in 2014 in order to keep its search bar on the iPhone. The information was discovered through transcript of court proceedings from Oracle Corp.'s lawsuit against the search giant. The documents further disclosed that as part of the agreement, Apple has a right to a percentage of the revenue Google earns by putting its search bar on the handset.

Regarding how much revenues are split, Anne Hurst, a lawyer for Oracle, during the trial revealed that earnings from the search bar at one point in time were at 34 percent. However, it was not clarified whether this percentage of the split is the one paid to Apple, or the one earned by Google.

According to Bloomberg, Google said in a filing that such information was deemed to be "extremely confidential," and divulging such information to the public could affect both companies' ability to negotiate in the future.

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Related Forum: Mobile Devices

Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/google-paid-apple-1-billion-to-keep-its-search-bar-on-the-iphone

Comments

"Google paid Apple $1 billion to keep its search bar on the iPhone" :: Login/Create an Account :: 34 comments

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ValorPosted:

Wow. all that just for a search bar lol

AR15Posted:

Teravainen I think Apple went with their own search bar at one point and it was literally awful. I just recently switched back to using Safari and I'm really glad they kept Google's search bar.


I don't personally use Safari, but I am glad that they kept Google search because their search bar was actual aids.

TeravainenPosted:

I think Apple went with their own search bar at one point and it was literally awful. I just recently switched back to using Safari and I'm really glad they kept Google's search bar.

KxrLPosted:

pffff $1B just for that? I am dead, that's ridiculous

OGPosted:

Damn, just for a simple feature. Thats crazy. Google gotta get paid too. Wonder what other features Apple is paying for

AxePosted:

That is nuts that google has that much money to just throw around like that. That much money just blows my mind, especially since they basically just threw it away like that haha.

SkyPosted:

that is an insane amount of money !!!

TricksPosted:

It's ridiculous how much Google cherishes the search bar. I'm surprised Apple hasn't made their own.

kiddingPosted:

that's ridiculous to just keep a search bar like honestly lmao.

F4DEDPosted:

That is a lot of money just for a search bar lol