Google-Apple search deal survives: 5 things to know
The long-running antitrust battle between Google and the US Department of Justice has delivered its latest twist. A federal judge has ruled that Google can continue paying Apple to feature its search engine on iPhones, but with tighter restrictions to prevent exclusivity and preserve competition.
Payments allowed The court said Google may keep making payments to Apple for search distribution, with Apple continuing to earn an estimated $20 billion annually. A complete ban was avoided after concerns that such a move would cause “crippling” harm to partners and consumers.
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No exclusivity Google cannot sign exclusive contracts with Apple or any other distribution partner. This ensures rival search engines have at least some access to users, even if Google remains the dominant option.
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Data sharing mandate In a significant win for the DOJ, Google must now share certain data with competitors. This includes information on how search results are ranked and surfaced — a requirement designed to level the playing field for smaller search engines.
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Rejected break-up demands The judge dismissed the DOJ’s calls for Google to sell off Chrome or Android, calling such remedies disproportionate. That spares Google from a forced structural shake-up for now.
Appeal on the horizon Google has indicated it will appeal aspects of the ruling, particularly the data-sharing mandate, which the company views as an overreach. The legal tussle over how to regulate Google’s search monopoly is far from over.
