When you buy an Android phone, you expect Google Search to be installed out of the box as the default search engine. But that may not be the case when you buy your next Samsung phone. According to a report over the weekend, Samsung might abandon Google Search in favor of Bing as the default search engine for future Samsung Galaxy phones.
The possibility that Samsung is considering replacing Google Search with Bing on its smartphones sent Google into a “panic,” according to the New York Times, Why? As the report explains, “An estimated $3 billion in annual revenue is at stake with the Samsung contract.” If Samsung doesn’t want to keep using Google for the default search engine on its phones, that’s $3 billion per year Google will no longer get. And if Samsung decides it wants Bing instead of Google, who knows how many other companies will follow suit and do the same.
While a story like this would have seemed impossible less than a year ago, the rise of AI chatbots has put Bing back in the spotlight in a surprisingly large fashion. Following the massive popularity of ChatGPT, Microsoft integrated the AI technology into its own search engine to create Bing Chat. Although not perfect, Bing Chat has quickly become one of the go-to chatbots on the market — offering far more personal and helpful responses than a “normal” search engine like Google Search.
So far, Google’s response to ChatGPT and Bing Chat has been … less than impressive. The company is slowly testing its Google Bard service, though its rollout and performance have both left much to be desired. The New York Times further reports that Google is working on the “Magi project” to better compete with ChatGPT and Bing Chat. According yothe Times, Magi will add new features and be more conversational.
But as good as Magi could be, it sounds like Google is now delivering too little too late. The report indicates that Samsung is considering the move largely because of Bing’s AI advancements, which is something Google just hasn’t been able to match.
Assuming Samsung does actually replace Google with Bing on its smartphones, what does that mean for you? Existing Samsung phones would likely continue to feature Google Search as the default search engine. However, future ones would likely ship with Bing preinstalled rather than Google.
You’ll still be able to download apps like Google Chrome and Google Search from the Play Store and use them if you want, but Bing would be available right out of the box.
Of course, that’s assuming Samsung goes through with this change. The report says Google learned about Samsung considering Bing as a search replacement in March, though it doesn’t go into further detail. Samsung may be in deep talks with Microsoft about using Bing on future phones/tablets, or it could just be an idea the company is lightly tossing around.
But whatever the case may be, the fact that Samsung is even considering this move is massive news. Google isn’t going anywhere any time soon, but its grip on search engines may finally be starting to slip.
Are you tired of paying for streaming services you never watch just to get a phone plan feature you actually want? T-Mobile has good news for you! The carrier is rolling out new plans, called T-Mix, in early November to replace its old Experience lineup with a build-your-own perks system called Picks.
The benefits you choose vary from streaming and gaming to food delivery, AI, satellite service, and phone discounts. But if you are satisfied with your existing plan, you can keep it.
Merely days after the iPhone Duo hit the shelves, images of broken screens on the phone started popping up across social media. Until now, it’s been unclear what’s causing the line of defective pixels that appears vertically along the crease, as well as horizontally, on the phone’s inner display.
Apple has finally acknowledged the issue, which has shown up on iPhone Duo units owned by customers as well as demo units in stores. In a statement shared with Bloomberg, Apple says that not all iPhone Duo units are affected and that those that are tend to show the display fault early on. The company added that users who experience problems with their iPhone Duo display should contact AppleCare for a replacement.
Not long ago, Apple treated independent repair like an act of outright hostility. The Cupertino giant locked down parts with serial-number pairing, while repair tools remained firmly out of reach of anyone outside its authorized repair network. More importantly, the company waged a legal and lobbying battle against right-to-repair legislation.
I've covered enough of these fights over the years to know what a shift looks like. That's why what happened in October 2026 genuinely caught me off guard. The day the iPhone Duo went on sale, what may be the most mechanically complex iPhone to date, Apple pulled off a surprising about-face. It published teardown-style repair manuals for a handful of major components.