on figure, but asked judge to strike the number form the record, Google saying it could prevent future deals

Google paid Apple $1 billion in 2014 to provide the search function on the iPhone (screenshot shown), according to a court transcript

Rumours about how much Google pays Apple to provide the search function on the iPhone have been circulating for years.

Now, court papers have revealed that the search giant seemingly shelled out $1 billion for the privilege in 2014.

The information was exposed in a transcript of court proceedings between Oracle and Google, but neither the search giant nor Apple are commenting on the reports.

Annette Hurst, attorney for Oracle said at the hearing in federal court on 14 January that Google has an agreement with Apple that gives Apple a percentage of the revenue generated by iPhone users using Google.

She suggested that at one point it was as high as 34 per cent, but it's not clear whether Google or Apple had the larger share of revenue, Bloomberg reported.

Both Google and Apple have told MailOnline they have no comment on the matter.

An attorney for Google reportedly objected to the information being disclosed and asked the judge to omit the 34 per cent detail from the record.

But they refused the request, despite the search company saying the disclosure of this sensitive information could affect its ability to negotiate revenue sharing deals with other companies.

Apple joined Google in a separate filing, saying the financial terms of their agreement are 'highly sensitive to both Google and Apple.

The filing said: 'Both Apple and Google have always treated this information as extremely confidential.'

Bloomberg added that the transcript of the Oracle court proceedings has disappeared from electronic court records, but it is not known whether Google was granted its request to seal it.

Whatever the case, the revenue-sharing deal arguably sheds light on how Google remains a dominant force in search and how Apple cashes in from Google's ad-based business model.

Apple's boss Tim Cook has previously criticised advert-impregnated services as an invasion of privacy.

At a dinner hosted by the Electronic Privacy Information Centre last June, The Verge reported he said: 'Our privacy is being attacked on multiple fronts'.

This revenue-sharing deal arguably sheds light on how Google remains a dominant force in search, and how Apple cashes in from Google's ad-based business model. Apple's boss Tim Cook, (stock image) has previously criticised advert-impregnated services as an invasion of privacy

'I'm speaking to you from Silicon Valley, where some of the most prominent and successful companies have built their businesses by lulling their customers into complacency about their personal information.

'They're gobbling up everything they can learn about you and trying to monetise it.

'We think that's wrong and it's not the kind of company that Apple wants to be.'

Oracle has been battling Google over claims it used Java software to develop Android, without paying for it.

The fight has been going on since 2010 and Oracle is now seeking $1 billion (£701million) in damages.