Google paid $26 billion to remain the 'default'

It has been revealed that Google has paid billions of dollars to Apple and other manufacturers to remain the default search engine on many devices.

According to a report by The New York Times citing two sources familiar with the agreement, Google paid Apple approximately $18 billion in 2021 to remain its top search engine. This figure is equivalent to approximately 15 percent of Apple's operating profit.

According to a report by Bloomberg, the ongoing lawsuit between Google and the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that the total amount Google paid to device manufacturers, including Apple, to be the default search engine in 2021 was $26.3 billion.