A big point the author relies on is that Google has destroyed its search. And yet I am not seeing it, many people I ask don't see it either. I don't doubt that we all experience using the search engine differently, for me it's still working just fine.

It's an unreliable anecdata to hinge your main point on that, it would only make sense if its more widely noted to the extent that its share is dropping significantly and being regularly reported in general media.