DuckDuckGo Study Suggests Google’s Mobile Market Share May Decline with Search Preference Menus

A study commissioned by DuckDuckGo reveals that Google is expected to lose mobile market share once Android starts introducing search preference menus to users. These menus will allow users to select their preferred default search engine when setting up a new Android device.

According to DuckDuckGo’s research, if given the choice, 24% of people in the US and UK, and 17% in Australia would opt for a search engine other than Google. Based on these figures, DuckDuckGo predicts Google’s mobile market share could decrease by 20% in the US, 22% in the UK, and 16% in Australia.

Currently, Google dominates the mobile search market with 95% in the US and 98% in both the UK and Australia. The study also suggests that even dedicated Google users would explore other search engine options if presented with a variety of choices:

“This user testing also shows people will scroll to check out their options before making a search engine selection, meaning Google could be placed on the last screen of any search preference menu.”

At present, Google is mandated to implement search preference menus only in Europe. However, DuckDuckGo hopes this change could be extended to other regions. To promote this, DuckDuckGo has been producing studies to illustrate potential changes in user behavior, which could be particularly persuasive for US regulators as tech giants face scrutiny over their influence.

Here are some highlights from DuckDuckGo’s latest study on this topic.

Highlights From DuckDuckGo’s Study

DuckDuckGo conducted large-scale live user testing with 12,000 participants across the US, UK, and Australia. These participants interacted with a mockup of a search preference menu created by DuckDuckGo.

Of the 12,000 participants, 9,000 engaged with the search preference menu. In the US specifically, 3,000 users viewed a preference menu where Google appeared on the first screen. Surprisingly, the prominent placement did not significantly influence how often Google was chosen as the default search engine:

“There was no statistically significant difference in how often users selected Google.”

A decrease in Google’s share as the default search engine would lead to an increase in market share for its competitors. DuckDuckGo projects that non-Google market share in the US would rise from 4.9% to 24.2% with the introduction of search preference menus.

It’s noted by DuckDuckGo that while participants were compensated for their involvement, they were not informed about the commissioning party of the study.

Background Information

European regulators have imposed the introduction of search preference menus on Google. The European Union has taken issue with Google setting itself as the default search engine on its own operating system. This practice was deemed illegal under EU antitrust rules, resulting in a record $5 billion fine for Google.

To comply with regulations, Google is now required to implement preference menus on Android devices. The timeline for this rollout remains unspecified, but it is forthcoming.

Google is under no obligation to enforce search preference menus globally, and this change is currently anticipated only in Europe. If DuckDuckGo achieves its goal, however, these menus could become more widespread.

Source: DuckDuckGo