How Google wanted the EU’s help to stop Apple’s search plans

Google reportedly paid around $18 billion to Apple in 2021 to ensure that Google remains the default search engine on iPhones. The search giant was concerned about Apple’s advancements in search technology, including the Spotlight feature, which began displaying richer web results similar to Google’s. Google planned to counter Apple’s search ambitions by creating its own version of Spotlight and convincing more iPhone users to switch to Google’s Chrome browser. Google also explored ways to lobby regulators to open up Apple’s software ecosystem and increase the use of Chrome. The European Union has yet to decide on designating Spotlight as a search engine.