Bing To Become iPhone’s Default Search Engine?

Microsoft has done a lot of great things in its illustrious history, but it has managed to pull of some very dumb moves as well. The company has had to fight hard to replicate the success it used to had with Windows OS just a few years ago. XBox has become a successful project for Microsoft but you could make the argument that Zune has failed to get going. So these past few years have been a mixed bag for the company. Nevertheless, Microsoft seem to have gotten something right with Bing. In a world that Google dominates, Bing has certainly held up its own.

The troubles between Google and Apple have been well documented in the media. It seems the saga will move to the next chapter as Apple is poised to bring Bing to iPhone as its default search engine. Google has been somewhat dismissive of its rivalry with Apple, but Apple giving the go to Bing on iPhone (and perhaps Apple tablet) could sting Google.

BusinessWeek has reported that Microsoft and Apple have been discussing a deal to make Bing the default search engine on iPhone for a while now. Being the default search engine is more lucrative than it sounds on the paper. Research has shown that many users won’t change their search engine unless there is something drastically better on the market. You can’t say that if you compare Bing and Google Search.

As a part of the deal, Microsoft may get to have Bing as an alternative on Safari browser. Microsoft will probably have to sweeten the deal by giving Apple a portion of its revenue. But that won’t be a problem as Microsoft needs this deal badly. Besides, the enemy of your enemy is your friend, right?

I have heard a lot of bloggers jump the guns and speak out against this idea. But if you think about it, it’s actually a fair deal. Apple is only doing things that are right for its shareholders. If Microsoft is willing to pay more to get Bing on iPhone, so be it. Many are skeptical of Bing and its potential, but it’s more than decent, and if you happen to hate Bing, you can always do it the hard way and go back to Google. I am not a big fan of Microsoft, but MS clearly needs this deal. Google can live without it.