Google says it will no longer save a complete record of every search

The firm will now delete its saved records of a new user's activity after 18 months

Google will no longer save a complete record of every search made by new users, the company says, as it launches a push to promote its privacy credentials against concerted competition from arch-rival Apple.

The company will now automatically delete its saved records of a new user's activity on the web and in its apps after 18 months, chief executive Sundar Pichai announced on Wednesday. Previously, such information had been kept indefinitely by default, which the company argued was necessary to personalise its services for individual users.