Bing We're Back At It: Microsoft To Take Over iPhone Search?
Techcrunch just dropped the bing bomb once again as they're being quite affirmative that according to their sources, Bing will be taking over search on the iPhone this June.
Déjà vu? Indeed, this rumor has been floating around since Businessweek launched it last January. Apparently, Arrington's sources at Google are claiming that Apple will be distancing itself once again from Google and will be going with Bing as its default search engine in iPhone OS 4. Google is as usual being snarky about it:
Multiple sources at Google tell us that in informal discussions with Apple over the last few months Apple expressed dismay at the number of core iPhone apps that are powered by Google. Search, maps, YouTube, and other key popular apps are powered by Google. Other than the browser, Apple has little else to call its own other than the core phone, contacts and calendar features.
Well, as we've told you before. There is plenty of money behind this deal and that might be all there is to say about this. Indeed, Google is sending Apple some nice cash kickbacks for being the iPhone's default search engine. Microsoft however has been particularly interested in the iPhone ever since it became their first source of mobile search via the iPhone Bing app. This might have pushed them to put a shiny deal on Steve's desk.
Also, with this "all-out war" between Apple and Google, it could indeed make sense for Apple to take some distance at this moment. Not to mention that this news follows some recent, apparently bogus reports on Steve Ballmer coming to the WWDC. Anyway, while I clearly see the possible motives behind this, I'm really hoping Google will at least stay as an option. Bing is a terrible search engine and being forced to use it would be a big pain in the.. ehh touchscreen.
