In a new note to clients, Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi suggests that Apple should buy DuckDuckGo, the search engine which he values at around $1 billion, in order to gain lucrative ad money and put pressure on Google.
Brandy Betz for Seeking Alpha:
In a research note, Sacconaghi notes that Google could break ties with Apple rather than pay the $7-8B per year to be the default search engine for iOS.
The analyst thinks Google has stayed with Apple to keep Microsoft from stepping into the vacated deal.
Google would also have to walk away from the roughly $15B in profits it gets from iOS.
MacDailyNews Take: As we wrote over six years ago, referring to Steve Jobs’ vow to go nuclear on Google over the stolen product of Android, about the idea that Apple should buy DuckDuckGo “If you really want to wage thermonuclear war, wage thermonuclear war.”
Plus, it has a stupid name that just begs to be changed to “Apple Search.” It’s perfect for Apple! — MacDailyNews, June 19, 2015
If you haven’t already, give DuckDuckGo a try today!
Apple allows users to easily switch to the privacy-respecting DuckDuckGo search engine in Safari:
macOS:
1. Click Safari in the top menu bar.
2. Select Preferences.
3. Click on Search.
4. Select DuckDuckGo.
iOS:
1. Open Settings.
2. Navigate and tap on Safari.
3. Tap on Search Engine.
4. Select DuckDuckGo.