Apple's Potential Shift from Google to DuckDuckGo Hindered by Google's Influence

The CEO of DuckDuckGo, Gabriel Weinberg, revealed in newly unsealed transcripts from an antitrust trial that talks between DuckDuckGo and Apple for a potential contract failed because Apple was hesitant to give up the billions of dollars it receives from Google. DuckDuckGo had struck a deal with Apple in 2014 to be shown as an option on Apple devices, but later pushed to become the default choice for users in privacy mode. Apple executives expressed concerns about their distribution agreements with Google, ultimately leading to the potential deal's demise. Google pays around $10 billion annually to be the default search engine on Apple devices, giving it a dominant position in the search market.