Thanks to analyst and Macrumors continue to pump out and report BS the internet has never educated people on any issues. Although I dont doubt this could be the usual Apple PR play when they intend to negotiate a new deal with Google. As they have done so in the past 5-10 years with Qualcomm, Broadcom, Google, Intel etc.

To add some useful information to HN readers, Google has been paying roughly $10 per user to Apple for the past 8 years. So the growth of Google Default Search Engine placement has been growing steadily with Apple's active user. This exclude regions which does not use Google as Default Search Engine.

Unless there are dramatic changes in Google traffic accusation cost in their Quarterly report or going to make a change in 2022 ( Which I am not aware of ), that rumour is completely baseless.