Google said its search queries from Apple devices are still growing. “We continue to see overall query growth in Search. That includes an increase in total queries coming from Apple’s devices and platforms,” the company announced in a post. 

This is in response to Apple’s Senior Vice President Eddy Cue testimony that Safari searches dropped last month. “This has never happened in 22 years,” Cue said. Cue said this during the U.S. antitrust trial currently scrutinizing Google’s multibillion-dollar deal with Apple. 

According to Cue, people are increasingly using AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity instead of traditional search engines. He suggested that “AI search providers will eventually replace standard search engines like Google.”

Cue’s statement raises concerns, especially considering the scale of the $20 billion-per-year search deal between Apple and Google. That agreement has been a central focus of regulators who are questioning whether it stifles competition. Previous court testimonies states Google has been paying Samsung monthly to preinstall the Gemini AI app on its devices.

Google defends its position: Search is growing, even on Apple devices

Despite Apple’s claim, Google says it is still seeing search growth from Apple’s devices. The company also noted that it is seeing more search activity as people use new ways to access Google Search. 

Google claims users are increasingly exploring voice input, its Google app, and features like Google Lens. “As we enhance Search with new features, people are seeing that Google Search is more useful for more of their queries,” the company said.

Google is also part of the AI search race, rolling out features like AI Overviews, which provide short summaries at the top of search results. In its Q1 2025 earnings report, Google says AI Overviews now serve over 1.5 billion monthly users and are showing signs of increasing engagement. The company is also testing AI Mode, which adds more AI capabilities directly into search results.

Still, numbers from Similarweb show that Google is not leading the AI search race. ChatGPT dominates with 80 percent of the traffic share, while Google Gemini holds only about 5.6 percent. Even as Google introduces AI features, the market perception is that it’s playing catch-up.

Apple will consider other AI Search tools apart from Google

Cue says Apple will consider these AI search tools as alternatives to Google. “We will add them to the list — they probably won't be the default,” he said. Apple already offers OpenAI’s ChatGPT as an option within Siri, and Google’s Gemini AI is expected to be available on iOS later this year.

Google’s market dropped following Cue’s comment

Cue’s comments had a swift impact on Google’s market value. Google’s stock fell nearly 8 percent, wiping around $160 billion off its market capitalization. Google’s response is to reassure advertisers and investors that its search product is still leading.

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