- Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google heaved a sigh of relief as Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd (OTC:SSNLF) decided against swapping out the default search engine on its smartphones for Microsoft Corp’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Bing any time soon.
- Samsung suspended an internal review that had explored replacing Google with Bing on its mobile devices, the Wall Street Journal cites familiar sources.
- Any reversal would have handed Bing a coveted victory in the Google-led search-engine space.
- In 2023, Bing got a new lease on life after adopting ChatGPT features run by Microsoft-backed OpenAI.
- The South Korean smartphone maker initially eyed a search-engine switch since most users opt for other browsers, including Google Chrome, which also comes preinstalled on Samsung phones.
- Given concerns over market perception and the impact on its wide-ranging business relations with Google, Samsung proposed not to discuss the matter at this time internally.
- According to Counterpoint Research, Samsung shipped ~260 million smartphones last year, accounting for roughly one-fifth of the worldwide total.
- Google has served as the default search engine on Samsung’s smartphones since its first model—the Galaxy S—launched in 2010.
- The search engine switch was part of Samsung’s efforts to diversify its smartphone software and consider new offerings.
- Google maintained lucrative contracts with Samsung and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) to confirm that Google’s apps or services as default options on devices sold by the smartphone makers. Microsoft, too, has maintained a close partnership with Samsung.
- Price Action: GOOG shares traded higher by 0.75% at $124.33 on the last check Friday.
- Photo via Wikimedia Commons
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