Baidu integration lands on iOS as early as next week, report says
According to Bloomberg, Apple could make integration of the Chinese search engine in iOS a reality at next week's Worldwide Developers Conference.
For months now, rumors have surfaced, claiming Apple will integrate Chinese search engine Baidu into iOS. All of those rumors might finally come true next week, according to a new report.
According to Bloomberg, citing unidentified sources, Apple could add Baidu's search to iOS as early as next week. Although the sources didn't say exactly when the announcement could happen, it would make sense for it to come down at the Worldwide Developers Conference Apple kicks off on June 11.
Baidu is currently not available to iOS users in China. Instead, like in the U.S., Google's search platform is the default option on Chinese iPhones. With Baidu integration, Chinese customers will have the option to choose which search product to use. It's not clear if Baidu, which is far more popular in China than Google, would become the default search option on Chinese iPhones.
During the second quarter, Baidu dominated the Chinese search market with 78.5 percent share. Google came in a distant second with 16.6 percent share.
CNET has contacted Apple for comment on the Bloomberg report. We will update this story when we have more information.