Did you know Google's Maps Traffic Takes a Hit After Apple's Defection

In a plot twist evocative of a digital soap opera, Google is caught in its own traffic gridlock - but not the type you'd expect. Two years after Apple decided to ditch Google Maps in favor of its own mapping service, Google has only reclaimed 40% of its prior mobile traffic on the mapping platform. This information was revealed during Google's current antitrust trial when Michael Roszak, Google's Vice President of Finance, spilt the beans.

The narrative started in 2012 when Apple decided to replace Google Maps as the default mapping service for iPhones with its own app. Google was left in the dust when its mobile traffic declined, but it appears they didn't take it lying down. In the present day, Google is still attempting to regain lost ground.

Roszak's proof uncovered Google's response to Apple's decision to move to its own mapping service. Google saw it as "an important piece of information" that could give experiences into what could occur assuming Apple selected to replace Google's web crawler as the default on Apple's Safari program. Maybe Google had a gem ball yet didn't have the foggiest idea of how to manage it.

Roszak uncovered information on what Apple's change to its own planning administration meant for Google Guides utilization on iPhones in a June 2020 email. He highlighted that even after nearly two years, Google had only recovered roughly 40% of its previous peak traffic. The catch was that the actual loss could have been more extensive, given that Apple Maps usage was increasing at the time. Unfortunately, the graphic displaying these usage numbers has been removed from the public version of the publication, leaving us all in the dark.

The central issue in the antitrust trial is Google's alleged illegal retention of an online search monopoly. According to the Justice Department, Google accomplished this by spending billions of dollars to secure its search engine as the default option on web browsers and smartphones. In this situation, Apple, in particular, plays a critical role because it receives a portion of the advertising money generated by Google's search engine in exchange for making it the default on Safari.

However, the actual amount Google pays Apple for this privilege is unknown. For the year 2020, the Justice Department has thrown about amounts ranging from $4 billion to $7 billion. Apple's lawyers were not pleased with the public estimate and quickly objected, underlining that it was not an accurate figure.

During his evidence, Roszak confessed that he didn't have data on how many users alter the default search engine on their browsers or mobile devices. The Apple Maps incident was just "one data point" that Google used to predict how iPhone users would respond if the default search engine changed.

So there you have it: Google's journey from mapping juggernaut to 40% recovery rate and continuous litigation drama. As the trial proceeds, it will be interesting to see how this traffic story plays out and what impact it may have on the ever-changing tech world. Will Google manage to regain its former glory, or will Apple's Maps continue to steer the ship in a different direction? Stay tuned for more updates from the tech soap opera!