Google is way ahead in the search industry and has been introducing new features from time to time to keep users from getting left behind by the competition. Most recently, the company introduced AI Previews in search, which was controversial given the mind-blowing results it had to endure. It has been shared in a new report that Google had initially blocked Apple users from getting the AI Previews feature because it wanted users to switch from Safari to Chrome or other browsers.
Google wanted Safari users to feel excluded from its AI Overviews feature, but ultimately decided to end the discrimination
Google is part of an ongoing Justice Department investigation, and the company’s relationship with Apple is part of it, too. The information Google wants to reduce its reliance on Apple and its Safari browser so it doesn’t have to pay large sums. We previously reported that Google paid Apple up to $20 billion to keep its status as the default search engine on the Safari browser.
Google wants to change user preferences on Apple products and, to be honest, it will be a rather difficult task because only some users will switch to Chrome or other browsers. Google believes that it can naturally move Safari users to a new platform that would not cost it billions. The two companies currently have a revenue sharing agreement that gives Apple a share of the ad revenue that Google generates on Safari. Now, Google will have to pay Apple less if it manages to move Safari users to Chrome or other browsers.
Google executives had considered bringing its new AI Overviews feature, which displays AI-generated answers to search queries, to its mobile apps, but not to Safari, people who worked on the product said. But Google ultimately backed away from that move.
However, it would be very difficult for Google to convince Safari users, and to achieve this, the company even initially blocked Apple users from getting the new AI Overview features. The company wanted users to install Chrome or other browsers and check what they would be missing in Safari. However, the AI Overview feature did not have any major success as it was part of a mind-blowing controversy. The report further states that the company eventually ended up rolling out the AI features to all users, including Safari.
Google has had a hard time convincing Safari users to download the Chrome browser on Apple devices, but it hasn’t been very successful. The company continues to share revenue with Apple for various activities, and we don’t see that changing in the near future. Would you replace Safari with Chrome on your iPhone? Let us know what Safari features are stopping you from making the switch.
