Latest report claims that Yahoo’s Chief Executive Marissa Mayer is trying to persuade Apple to ditch Google for Yahoo as the default search engine on iOS devices.
According to the Re/code report, citing sources within Yahoo, Mayer along with Adam Cahan, Yahoo’s senior vice president of mobile and emerging products, is working on a secret plan to convince Apple to change the default iOS search engine.
The report reveals that Mayer has already prepared a detailed report for Apple executives showing images of how the offering might look. Mayer’s effort is said to be in advanced stages.
“This is the aim of the whole effort here, to grab the pole position in iOS search,” the Yahoo insider working on the search drive reportedly said.
“It will take more than pretty pictures though to convince Apple to give up Google, given its focus on consumer experience being top-notch. But Marissa wants it very badly.”
The report lines up with the recent moves by Yahoo to boost company’s search engine business, which continues to struggle with rivals like Google, and Facebook.
Google search is currently the default search engine in iOS and powers Apple’s Safari Web browser used on iPhones and iPads, while Yahoo already is the default data source on the iPhone for the device’s stocks and weather apps.
Mayer through this latest move wants to convince the Cupertino to make Yahoo the default search engine on its Safari browser on the iPhone and iPad. Mayer hopes this step will further improve its relationship with Apple and also help in revitalizing its business.
If the plan works out, it can drastically change Yahoo’s share in the search engine market, specifically in the growing mobile search segment.
