Apple should acquire DuckDuckGo to put pressure on Google Search, analyst argues | Hacker News Reader

Apple should acquire DuckDuckGo to put pressure on Google Search, analyst argues

9to5mac.com

10 pointsmiked8513 comments

Two earlier posts/discussions:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23461515

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23463198

Seems like a terrible idea. The argument is not from the stand point of pressuring Google to adopt more privacy friendly practices but rather to bring them to the table to negotiate Google continuing to pay Apple to set Google as the default search engine on iOS. Using a privacy-centric service as a pawn to coerce more money into Apple's pocket would not serve the people DuckDuckGo was made for.

Then rebrand it to iSearch! I guess I would pass on it then. Not interested in another web product controlled by a behemoth.

Also Apple probably discarded the idea to compete vs. Google in search a long time ago. Microsoft failed (softly) with Bing so why should it work out for Apple?

That makes no sense. Literally all the people I know who use DDG use it because it's not Google or Amazon or Apple or Facebook or Microsoft etc. If one of these buys DDG, DDG will almost instantly lose most of its user base.

They might not be worried about losing those people - would be able to grow it themselves quite easily.

Going from "all the people you know" to "most of it's userbase" is rather anecdotal. Unless, off course, you know millions of people.

I understand the sentiment. But Apple or Microsoft could buy them with the explicit goal -and promise- to run or own a privacy-friendly search engine. Rather than just "something to fight Google with".

Like with MSFT buying GitHub: I was/am one of those disgruntled users who left GH as paying customer (running to my own gitea, mostly) but so far, Microsoft really seems to deliver on its promise to keep it a good option for Open Source.

Such companies can do the same when they buy a privacy-friendly search engine: promise, and then deliver on that promise, to keep it privacy-focused, -friendly and so on.

Especially since there are several competitors around the corner that would take over the DDG userbase if the aquiring company slips up. Qwant, Startpage, Ecosia just to name a few.

> Microsoft

> with the explicit goal -and promise-

I don't know where to begin...

I see your point, and my gut agrees. Which is also why I rage-quitted Github the moment they were bought.

I still don't trust them to Be Good or even to Not Be a Total POS at some point in future.

But, so far, with Github, they have delivered on their promise, they have reacted to consumer pressure over e.g. the ICE (some US-border-patrol policital thing, I don't recall the exact name, just the uproar) and some other matters. They have Been Good. Unexpected, for me, but so far, the proof is in the pudding and it seems good.

Considering how much control Apple exercises over apps/content in the app store, I definitely prefer for DDG to stay independent. I say this as an Apple (Mac, iPhone) and DGG user.

Apple doesn't need ddg, there's not much there, they'd be better off building their own

Well, Apple loves Google's money for iOS default search engine. Why would they give up on it?

OH DOG PLEASE NO! seriously, just no.

please

please no.

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