Google is fighting to increase search traffic on its iPhone apps

Google is working to reduce its reliance on Apple’s Safari browser, but progress has been slower than expected, according to a report by The Information.

As Google awaits a ruling on the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit, its deal with Apple is in jeopardy.

An existing agreement that makes Google the default search engine on Safari on iPhones could be put in jeopardy if a judge rules against Google.

To mitigate this risk, Google encourages iPhone users to switch to the Google Search or Chrome apps for browsing. However, these efforts have had limited success.

Modest gains in app adoption

Over the past five years, Google has increased the percentage of iPhone searches conducted through its apps from 25% to just over 30%.

While this is progress, it falls short of Google’s internal goal of 50% by 2030.

The company has rolled out a variety of marketing strategies, including campaigns showcasing features such as image search in Lens and improvements to the Discover channel.

Despite these efforts, preinstalling the Safari browser on iPhones still poses a hurdle.

Financial rates and market dynamics

The financial consequences of this fight are serious for both Google and Apple.

In 2023, Google reportedly paid Apple over $20 billion to maintain its status as the default search engine in Safari.

Google intends to attract more users to its apps in order to lower these fees and gain an advantage in future negotiations.

Antitrust lawsuit and potential consequences

The ongoing antitrust trial threatens Google’s business model.

If Google loses the case, it could potentially lose access to about 70% of searches conducted on iPhones, which account for about half of smartphones in the U.S.

The result could have an impact on Google’s mobile search advertising revenue, which is expected to exceed $207 billion in 2023.

New initiatives and leadership

To address these challenges, Google has hired new talent, including former Instagram and Yahoo product director Robby Stein.

Stein is now tasked with leading an effort to encourage iPhone users to use Google’s mobile apps by exploring ways to make those apps more engaging, including the potential use of generative AI.

Looking to the future

With an upcoming antitrust ruling looming, Google’s ability to attract users to its apps will determine whether the company maintains its share of the search engine market.

We’ll be watching closely to see how Google addresses these challenges and whether it can reduce its reliance on Safari.

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