Apple Considered Making DuckDuckGo Default Search Engine in Safari Private Browsing Mode

[MacRumors]

Back in 2018, Apple held talks with DuckDuckGo to replace Google as the default search engine in private browsing mode, but ultimately rejected the idea, according to transcripts unsealed by the judge overseeing the US government's antitrust trial against Google in Washington.

Testifying in closed sessions, DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg said that his company had about 20 meetings and phone calls with Apple executives, including the head of Safari, in 2018 and 2019 about becoming the default search engine for private browsing mode.

According to Bloomberg, Apple did not move forward with the deal because John Giannandrea, who joined Apple as head of search in 2018, assumed that since DuckDuckGo relies on Bing for its search information, it also likely provides Microsoft some user information.

That led Giannandrea to believe that DuckDuckGo's privacy marketing is "somewhat incongruent with the details." In a February 2019 email to other Apple executives, Giannandrea said it was therefore "probably a bad idea" to switch to DuckDuckGo for private browsing in Safari.

If Apple seriously wanted to switch to DuckDuckGo, "I would probably insist on doing a lot more due diligence with DuckDuckGo," he said.

The trial is between the U.S. Department of Justice and Google, with the DoJ pointing toward Google's dominance on Apple devices as evidence that Google has a search engine monopoly. A multi-billion dollar deal between Apple and Google sees that Google is set as the default search engine on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Last week the trial revealed that Microsoft considered selling its Bing search engine to Apple. Had the acquisition happened, Bing would have replaced Google as the default search engine on Apple devices.

Apple's services chief ‌Eddy Cue‌ also had to testify, and he explained why Google is the ‌iPhone‌'s default search engine. "We make Google be the default search engine because we've always thought it was the best," Cue said. He went on to say that Apple has not gone with another search engine provider because there is no "valid alternative."

• How to Set a Different Default Search Engine When Private Browsing in Safari

While Google is the default search engine on Apple devices, users can choose to swap to Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo, or Ecosia as an alternative.

Article Link: Apple Considered Making DuckDuckGo Default Search Engine in Safari Private Browsing Mode

 

[marzbarz]

I'd consider switching back to google if so

 

[MayaUser]

DuckDuckGo Go​

 

[5232152]

I'd consider switching back to google if so

Guess you never chose Apple devices because of the security benefits

 

[headlessmike]

According to Bloomberg, Apple did not move forward with the deal because John Giannandrea, who joined Apple as head of search in 2018, assumed that since DuckDuckGo relies on Bing for its search information, it also likely provides Microsoft some user information.

That led Giannandrea to believe that DuckDuckGo's privacy marketing is "somewhat incongruent with the details." In a February 2019 email to other Apple executives, Giannandrea said it was therefore "probably a bad idea" to switch to DuckDuckGo for private browsing in Safari.

This turned out to be (at least partly) true.

DuckDuckGo: Why our browsers won't block Microsoft trackers

Meanwhile, Tails 5.0 users told to stop what they're doing over Firefox flaw

www.theregister.com

 

[laptech]

I chose Google search engine for the simple reason that it is easy to use and easy on the eye. There is bloatware on the screen like there is with Bing. Another reason for using Google search engine is the name. If I am using a device/computer that is not my own and I need to search for something, it is so easy to just open the device/computer web browser, type in google.com in the address bar and there is it. Clean, simple, easy to use. DuckDuckGo is too long and I cannot be bothered to keep typing that long name into a web browsers address bar.

 

[laptech]

This turned out to be (at least partly) true.

DuckDuckGo: Why our browsers won't block Microsoft trackers

Meanwhile, Tails 5.0 users told to stop what they're doing over Firefox flaw

www.theregister.com

Google has it's own trackers but that still has not stopped Apple from using them.

 

[andreagrandi]

DuckDuckGo is too long and I cannot be bothered to keep typing that long name into a web browsers address bar.

Do you know that you don’t have to type ANY search engine url in the browser bar if you set it as default engine?

 

[andreagrandi]

So, because DDG proxies some queries to Bing they thought it wasn’t privacy safe….and they decided to use Google directly which is known to track everything they can? Right 🙄

 

[unrigestered]

so does this mean that Google is paying Apple two trillion USD every year for not being able to retrieve some user data?
how unselfish of them

 

[koil]

I chose Google search engine for the simple reason that it is easy to use and easy on the eye. There is bloatware on the screen like there is with Bing. Another reason for using Google search engine is the name. If I am using a device/computer that is not my own and I need to search for something, it is so easy to just open the device/computer web browser, type in google.com in the address bar and there is it. Clean, simple, easy to use. DuckDuckGo is too long and I cannot be bothered to keep typing that long name into a web browsers address bar.

For me it's just ⌘-T and start typing. Is there a reason you've chosen not to use this workaround? I mean I very very rarely actually type DuckDuckGo.com into my URL bar, that's really only if I'm on a new device that I haven't yet chosen my default search engine for yet.

I don't disagree that DDG could get themselves some shorter domains as well. But I think it's a branding thing, coupled with the fact that they probably, like I, believe people aren't actually typing search engine URLs into their browsers anymore.

 

[headlessmike]

Google has it's own trackers but that still has not stopped Apple from using them.

So, because DDG proxies some queries to Bing they thought it wasn’t privacy safe….and they decided to use Google directly which is known to track everything they can? Right 🙄

At least everyone knows what's going on in that case. (Hi Google! 👋) The way I understand it was that they didn't consider DuckDuckGo to be any better than Google in that regard. Then there's the whole billions of dollars thing too.

 

[Deej]

So if DDG isn't *that* private after all, what's a better alternative to use?

 

[Weed]

So if DDG isn't *that* private after all, what's a better alternative to use?

Startpage. Preferably on a VPN and privacy-focused browser.

And Apple needs to add custom search engines to Safari instead of the shady trash available now. Well, nobody slightly privacy-concerned uses Safari as their main browser anyway, so whatever.

 

[klasma]

it is so easy to just open the device/computer web browser, type in google.com in the address bar and there is it. Clean, simple, easy to use. DuckDuckGo is too long and I cannot be bothered to keep typing that long name into a web browsers address bar.

You can type “ddg.gg” instead.

 

[ApostolisApo]

I chose Google search engine for the simple reason that it is easy to use and easy on the eye. There is bloatware on the screen like there is with Bing. Another reason for using Google search engine is the name. If I am using a device/computer that is not my own and I need to search for something, it is so easy to just open the device/computer web browser, type in google.com in the address bar and there is it. Clean, simple, easy to use. DuckDuckGo is too long and I cannot be bothered to keep typing that long name into a web browsers address bar.

I use Google because I love the letter G. Man, just thinking about it gets me excited...

 

[Skyscraperfan]

DuckDuckGo might use Bing or even Google for its searches, but those searches can't be tracked back to a single user, if I understand that concept right. You search something at DuckDockGo and then DuckDuckGo searches for at another search engines and then returns the results back to you. So that other search engines will not get your IP address and it can't track which links you clicked on.

 

[Wokis]

Google has it's own trackers but that still has not stopped Apple from using them.

Seems in context that Apple considered switching to DuckDuckGo in private mode because presumably DDG tracked you less. Then they suspected that's not really the case. And if both alternatives fail in this regard, why go with the one that (according to Apple, and me for that matter) has worse search results?

 

[unrigestered]

I use Google because I love the letter G. Man, just thinking about it gets me excited...

yes, as some wise men always knew it all along: there's nothing but a G thang!

 

[Ridge Racer]

DuckDuckGo is too long and I cannot be bothered to keep typing that long name into a web browsers address bar.

Why not use the short URL for it: https://ddg.gg - that's 3 characters shorter than https://google.com

 

[laptech]

Do you know that you don’t have to type ANY search engine url in the browser bar if you set it as default engine?

You obviously missed the part in my post where I specifically pointed out the part I use devices/computers that are not my own which means I am not able to set DDG as default because I do not own the devices/computers I am using. Internet cafe's don't always have google as their default search engine, neither do libraries, Bing seems to be the popular choice hence why I need the use of the address bar to enter in the search engine of my choice hence why it needs to be a small word and not a long one which DDG is.

 

[klasma]

So if DDG isn't *that* private after all, what's a better alternative to use?

Kagi or Brave.

 

[klasma]

This turned out to be (at least partly) true.

DuckDuckGo: Why our browsers won't block Microsoft trackers

Meanwhile, Tails 5.0 users told to stop what they're doing over Firefox flaw

www.theregister.com

That’s about the DDG browser, not the search engine.

 

[unrigestered]

i don't think there is a perfect solution for privacy. Brave for instance also has been accused of being not as private as they claim.
so use what you think might work best for you, but don't expect to be saved by some miracle by going one certain route.
but also keep in mind that you also won't die a horrible death just because you've been using Google.

but there is other things to consider aswell, like why are so many self proclaimed privacy focused DNS server providers giving their services for free, while having to rely on some very expensive infrastructures?
do they purposely solely exist to lose millions or trillions of dollars just for the common wellbeing?

 

[klasma]

Startpage.

Startpage also uses Bing and Google as “search partners”. Yes, they claim it’s anonymous and private, but so does DDG. I don’t really see the difference.