Google reportedly offers Samsung a lucrative deal to prioritize Assistant and Play Store

It’s still unclear whether the agreement would force Samsung to drop Bixby and its app store entirely or, as Bloomberg says, whether it simply has to make those services less integrated on its own devices. Neither company confirmed the negotiations when the publication asked for a statement.

A Google spokesperson said:

“Like all Android device makers, Samsung is free to create its own app store and digital assistant. That’s one of the great features of the Android platform. And while we regularly talk with partners about ways to improve the user experience, we have no plans to change that.”

Samsung’s statement reads:

“Samsung remains committed to our own ecosystem and services. At the same time, Samsung closely works with Google and other partners to offer the best mobile experiences for our users.”