Microsoft wanted to sell its Bing search engine to Apple in 2020

Bloomberg reported that Microsoft was considering selling its Bing search engine to iPhone maker Apple around 2020, a deal that would have replaced Google with Bing as the default search engine on all Apple devices, including iPhone, Mac, iPad, etc.

The report further notes that Microsoft executives even met with Apple services chief Eddy Cue and discussed the possibility of Apple acquiring Bing. Cue has been responsible for bringing together Apple's current deal with Alphabet, which makes Google the default search engine on all Apple devices.

However, the report notes that the talks between Apple and Microsoft were exploratory and have yet to reach an advanced stage. He also pointed out that the money generated by Apple in the deal with Google could be one of the reasons why the Cupertino-based company is refusing to acquire Bing. Apple also reportedly doubted whether Bing could compete with Google regarding quality and features.

The association between Google and Apple:

Google was first used as the default search engine in Apple's Safari browser in 2002, and the agreement has been revised many times. According to data from the United States Department of Justice cited by Bloomberg, Apple raised between $4 billion and $7 billion from the agreement between the two companies until 2020.

Notably, Apple had used Bing as the default web search engine within Siri and Spotlight between 2013 and 2017 before returning to Google with an updated revenue-sharing agreement.

Recently, Microsoft's head of advertising and web services, Mikhail Parakhin, testified during the Google antitrust trial that Apple never seriously considered switching to Bing as the default search engine for the iPhone. He further said, "Apple is making more money on Bing existing than Bing does…We are always trying to convince Apple to use our search engine."

Google is being sued by the US Department of Justice over allegations that the tech giant stifled competition by paying companies like Apple, Verizon and others to make its search engine the first one users see when they open their website devices.