There are few things less cool than the Bing search engine, which is probably why Microsoft tried to flog it to Apple a few years ago. The iPhone maker has different ideas about search, though. If you work at Google, I wouldn’t read on.

The lowdown

• 🇨🇳 The World Bank warns China’s economy is likely to slow in 2024.

• 🚶‍♂️ Workers are set to walk, triggering America’s biggest ever healthcare strike.

• 🙃 PwC is expected to face an inquiry over its Australian tax scandal.

Featured story

Could Apple replace Google with its own search engine?

Apple has long considered building its own search engine to replace Google on its devices. Now Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, a leading authority on Apple, says it could be closer than you think ($).

He gives two reasons why the move would make sense. First, owning search fits with Apple’s philosophy of owning the core technologies underlying its products. Second, search is a huge moneymaker. Apple currently gets a cut of Google’s ad revenue, which brings in about $8 billion a year. Owning search could be even more lucrative – Gurman says a proprietary search engine could create a revenue stream the size of the Apple Watch.

Rather than building a search engine, Apple could also buy one. That was reportedly an option in 2020, when Microsoft reportedly pitched a sale of Bing to the iPhone maker.

The content we're consuming today

• Bloomberg: How internet influencer became the hottest job in America ($)

• The Register: Mozilla's midlife crisis has taken it from web pioneer to Google's weird neighbor

• Net Interest: Inside Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management Business

Off-balance sheet items

• Ever wondered what a city designed by tech bros would look like? Wonder no more.

The bottom line