Microsoft wants Firefox to ditch Google, switch to Bing

The rumour, by way of The Information, claims senior Microsoft execs hope to seal a deal with Mozilla to make Bing the default search engine as soon as this year, as the browser's existing big-bucks deal with Google is coming up for renewal.

Now, Firefox making a search engine switch isn't new. Mozilla tested Microsoft's Bing as Firefox's default search engine back back in 2021; and those with longer memories may just remember a time when Yahoo! was the default search engine in select countries.

It's a tough pill to swallow: Firefox, effectively the only serious browser not controlled by Google or Apple, exists by the grace of Google. Google pays Mozilla for being the default search engine in Firefox, and said deal makes up about 85% of Mozilla's revenue. Replacing Google with Microsoft int his equation seems like a lateral move, at best.