Google’s deal to be the default search provider on Apple devices is set to expire next year with both Microsoft’s Bing and Yahoo! keen to take over.
That’s according to The Information reports that claim Microsoft and Yahoo! are separately competing to take over from Google, which has held the position since the launch of the iPhone in 2007.
Should Yahoo! become the chosen one it would represent another major coup for the internet company after it recently partnered with Mozilla to become the Firebox brower’s default search engine in the US for the next five years. This marked the end of Mozilla’s decade-long collaboration with Google and was likely a consequence of Google creating its own Chrome browser in 2011.
“Our agreement came up for renewal this year, and we took this as an opportunity to review our competitive strategy and explore our options,” said Mozilla’s CEO Chris Beard upon the announcement.
“In the end, each of the partnership options available to us had strong, improved economic terms reflecting the significant value that Firefox brings to the ecosystem. But one strategy stood out from the rest.”
Earlier this year it was reported that Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer was planning a viable mobile search engine and monetisation platform to convince Apple to make Yahoo! the default search engine on its Safari browser.
Both Yahoo! and Bing are currently included in Safari as alternate search options.
Bing image via Shutterstock
