Apple has finally appeared in court during the US antitrust trial against Google, and instead of attacking the search giant, Cupertino’s company has highlighted how vital the deal has been for Google to become the default search engine on Apple devices. During the testimony, Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president, defended this strategic alliance.
Based on two main points, the first of which was Apple’s commitment to user privacy, a feature that Cue stated is fundamental for the company. In fact, this deal required Google to allow users to perform searches without requiring a login, ensuring greater privacy for consumers. The second point is purely technical: according to Cue, Google provides the best search engine, which is a more than justified reason to choose it as the default browsing tool. Apple strives to provide the best user experience in line with the high quality it aims to convey, so choosing a third-party search engine as the default without the corresponding quality assessment would be, at the very least, reckless.
Cue’s answers raised more questions
Nevertheless, Cue’s testimony raised questions that the executive had to answer. Perhaps the most critical was related to the revenue-sharing agreement, a contentious issue that required a clear response. For Cue, the agreement, regardless of the economic implications for both Google and Apple, would have been sought even without a firm agreement on this matter. After all, this deal is not limited to monetary considerations but is about providing users with the best user experience that both Apple and Google strive to offer.
Another fundamental question regarding the choice of Google as the default search tool came in the form of whether it would have been possible to have a tool selector during setup. Cue responded that the main goal during setup is to get the user up and running as quickly as possible.
We will soon find out if Cue has been convincing, but for now, everything surrounding the case remains uncertain.
