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You're not wrong, Android and Google will always be buddies as long as Google is top dog. But, if you break Android out of Google it allows shareholders to chal

You're not wrong, Android and Google will always be buddies as long as Google is top dog. But, if you break Android out of Google it allows shareholders to challenge decisions by the management of Android. There'd at least be the legal hurdle that Google has to actually always be the best choice. Bing could theoretically offer more for the top slot and Android can't factor in the other intangibles of putting Google first anyway like they currently do.

ijpoijpoihpiuoh 7y ago
Theoretically. But if they're not willing to offer top dollar for iOS, they sure won't for Android. And anyway, if they value Android spots so much, they will be able to bid in this auction and appear on the list. The list is randomized on each startup, so it doesn't matter whether Google bids more than Bing. The only thing that matters is who bids for fourth place and who bids for fifth. I sincerely doubt that anyone believes Google would fail to bid in the top four. TBH, I find it really interesting that people are complaining so much about this. It's actually a much more competition friendly approach, and less beneficial to Google, than what Apple does with iOS' search default. I guess it's a little different in that for iOS it is Apple aiding and abetting Google's monopoly, whereas with Android it seems like self-dealing. But I have yet to see a suggestion for something else to do that leads to a reasonable outcome.