What you need to know
- Samsung has decided to stick with Google as its default search engine for smartphones, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
- A previous report stated that Samsung was considering a switch to Microsoft's search engine, Bing.
- Samsung reportedly decided to stick with Google as its default to maintain a relationship with the search giant that also makes Android.
Bing may be in the middle of a surge in interest, but it will not become the default search engine of Samsung smartphones, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. Previous reporting by The New York Times stated that Samsung was considering a swap from Google to Bing, but it turns out the phone maker has decided to stick with Google.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung suspended its internal review that centered around potentially replacing Google with Bing as the default search engine for the company's smartphones. If Samsung had decided to switch, it would have changed the default search engine of the "Internet" browser on its phones.
Samsung reportedly stuck with Google because of the perception that could be created by a move to Bing. Additionally, the tech giant did not want to affect its relationship with Google, which makes the Android operating system that runs on Samsung phones and tablets.
Microsoft and Samsung have a close relationship as well, including Samsung phones working well with Windows PCs. Samsung also makes several computers that run Windows. But that relationship appears to be growing year-to-year. It's unlikely that Samsung's choice of default search engine would affect the company's dealings with Microsoft.
While the current investigation into a switch has been suspended, the door isn't closed permanently on Bing, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Google reportedly entered a "panic" when Samsung started looking into an alternative default search engine. The deal between Google and Samsung is said to be worth $3 billion annually, so a change would be a significant loss of revenue for Google.
Apple's contract with Google is also due for renewal this year, so there's a chance we'll see a similar saga surrounding that deal. Apple reportedly has a much larger deal that's worth between $8 billion and $12 billion annually.
If Microsoft can't convince Apple to switch to Bing, it may have better luck with Mozilla.
