Google Paid Apple $26 Billion in 2021 to Remain Default iPhone Search Engine, Quadrupling Payments from 2014

Google paid $26 billion in 2021 to remain default search engine on devices like iPhones. This was revealed during testimony in DOJ's antitrust lawsuit.

The $26 billion was paid to acquire traffic and maintain default status. The bulk likely went to Apple.

Google's search advertising revenue was $146 billion in 2021. So the $26 billion paid for defaults is a fraction.

Google executive testified that default status payments are the costliest part of what it pays to get traffic.

In 2014 Google paid $7 billion for defaults when search revenue was $47 billion. Payments nearly quadrupled by 2021 while revenue tripled.