Apple is taking aim at Google and its Chrome web browser for iPhone in its latest ad campaign. The ad features a middle-aged man browsing on his iPhone and a woman at her office desk doing the same. Suddenly, security cameras come to life with wings, flying down to spy on them up close. The ad warns viewers that their browsing is being watched and promotes Apple’s Safari for iPhone as a private browser.
While the ad doesn’t explicitly mention Google Chrome, it is clear that Apple is targeting its competitor. This is part of an ongoing battle between Apple and Google for iPhone users’ attention. Apple has been promoting Safari and its focus on user privacy through billboards and other ads.
Google Chrome has a reputation for tracking users’ browser usage through third-party cookies. In addition, Google recently settled a class-action lawsuit in which it admitted to collecting data from users even while they were using Chrome’s “Incognito Mode.” These issues are likely what Apple is highlighting to inform consumers about the drawbacks of using Google Chrome.
The financial relationship between Google and Apple is also at stake in this battle. Google pays Apple a significant amount of money to have its search engine be the default on Safari for iPhone. In 2022 alone, Google paid $20 billion for this privilege. However, an antitrust lawsuit from the Department of Justice (DOJ) could put an end to this arrangement. If the DOJ succeeds, Google Search could lose hundreds of millions of users.
In response to this potential loss, Google is aiming to grow its market share for Chrome on iPhone. Currently, Chrome is used by 30 percent of iPhone users as their default browser, but Google wants that number to reach 50 percent. This would mean reaching over half a billion iPhones in total.
Apple’s campaign to promote Safari and emphasize its user privacy strengths comes at a crucial time. The outcome of the antitrust case will determine the future of the relationship between Google and Apple. It will also reveal how much iPhone users truly value privacy. If the verdict favors Apple, the battle for iPhone web browsers will intensify, and we will see which browser users ultimately choose.
