iPhone may diss Google, default to Bing

In an attempt to break the iPhone free of Google’s influence, Apple may slap the search giant in the face by teaming up with its old rival, Microsoft.

Apple is reportedly in talks with Microsoft to make Bing the default search engine on the iPhone, BusinessWeek reports. Currently, that honor goes to Google, and Bing isn’t even an option for the phone’s built-in Safari browser. The only other search option is Yahoo, which will eventually be powered by Bing anyway.

BusinessWeek’s report is based on the word of two anonymous sources, who say the two companies have been in talks for several weeks. “Apple and Google know the other is their primary enemy,” said one source. “Microsoft is now a pawn in that battle.” However, BusinessWeek acknowledges that no conclusion has been reached, and the deal could fall apart.

What does this mean for consumers? Not much, considering that iPhone owners could easily swap Google back into Safari if that was their preference. A deal would mostly affect advertising revenue for all parties involved.

Still, the idea that Apple and Microsoft are even in negotiation illustrates how Apple wants to make the iPhone less reliant on Google services, which also includes Google Maps and YouTube. Last summer, Apple purchased mapping service company PlaceBase, and evidence that Apple was looking to build its own map service began to pile up. It’s conceivable that the next iPhone operating system update, which could be revealed next week, would boot Google Maps in favor of a new service.

What’s troubling but also potentially exciting about all this supposed maneuvering is that people like Google services. If Apple’s going to replace them, the result has to be superior, otherwise it’s just silly. If Apple is indeed as fearful of Google as these reports suggest, let’s hope the result is a superior phone.