Apple Is Desperate to Defend Mega Payout from Google in Antitrust Case

Apple has requested to participate in the next phase of the antitrust trial against Google, arguing that it cannot rely on the search giant to defend the revenue-sharing agreements that bring the iPhone maker up to $20 billion dollars annually via an exclusivity deal.

Reuters reports that in a major development in the ongoing antitrust battle against Google, Apple has filed court papers seeking to intervene in the upcoming portion of the antitrust trial focused on Google’s search monopoly. The iPhone maker argues that it cannot depend on Google to adequately defend the lucrative revenue-sharing agreements between the two tech giants, which make Google the default search engine on Apple’s Safari browser.

According to the court documents, Apple received an estimated $20 billion from its agreement with Google in 2022 alone. The company’s lawyers emphasized that Apple has no plans to develop its own search engine to compete with Google, regardless of whether the payments continue or not.

The next phase of the DOJ’s antitrust case against Google is set to go to trial in April, with prosecutors aiming to demonstrate that the search giant must take drastic measures to restore competition in online search. These measures could include selling its Chrome web browser and potentially even its Android operating system.

Apple’s intervention in the case highlights the complex relationship between the two tech behemoths. While they are rivals in many areas, such as smartphones and app stores, they also have a symbiotic relationship when it comes to search. Google pays Apple billions of dollars each year to remain the default search engine on Apple devices, a deal that benefits both companies financially.

However, with the antitrust decision looming, Apple appears to be distancing itself from Google’s defense strategy. In the court filing, Apple stated, “Google can no longer adequately represent Apple’s interests: Google must now defend against a broad effort to break up its business units.”

Google has already proposed loosening its default agreements with browser developers, mobile-device manufacturers, and wireless carriers in an attempt to address antitrust concerns. However, the company has not offered to end its agreements to share a portion of the ad revenue it generates from searches.