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Apple Says Google Searches Are Down on Safari, While Google Claims They’re Up

Yesterday, Apple’s Eddy Cue said that Google searches through the Safari browser dropped last month—the first time in 22 years. But not long after, Google responded by saying that searches from Apple devices are actually up.

At first, this sounds like a contradiction. But if you look closely, both statements could be true. Apple is specifically talking about searches done through Safari. Meanwhile, Google is referring to searches from Apple devices in general—which includes not just Safari, but also the Google app, Chrome, and other apps where people can search Google.

It’s a bit amusing, but also raises questions about how the two tech giants interpret and share data. Bloomberg also covered the story, adding to the buzz.

Bloomberg reported:

““Beyond that upheaval, AI is already making gains with consumers. Cue noted that searches on Safari dipped for the first time last month, which he attributed to people using AI. Cue said he believes that AI search providers, including OpenAI, Perplexity AI Inc. and Anthropic PBC, will eventually replace standard search engines like Alphabet’s Google. He said he believes Apple will bring those options to Safari in the future.””

Google’s stock fell 8% following the news, leading the company to release this statement later that night:

“”We continue to see overall query growth in Search. That includes an increase in total queries coming from Apple’s devices and platforms. More generally, as we enhance Search with new features, people are seeing that Google Search is more useful for more of their queries — and they’re accessing it for new things and in new ways, whether from browsers or the Google app, using their voice or Google Lens. We’re excited to continue this innovation and look forward to sharing more at Google I/O.””

So which is it—are people using Google less on Apple devices, or more? Is someone not telling the full truth, or is this just about Safari?

It looks like Apple was specifically talking about a drop in Google searches made through the Safari browser. Meanwhile, Google responded by saying that searches from Apple devices overall are up. That likely includes searches made through the Google app, Chrome, or other browsers, not just Safari.

So, both statements can be true at the same time: Google searches on Safari may be down, while searches on Apple devices overall may still be going up.