Apple Seeks to Defend Google's Billion-Dollar Deal in Chrome Antitrust Case

Apple has asked to participate in Google's upcoming US antitrust trial over online search, saying it cannot rely on Google to defend revenue-sharing agreements that send the iPhone maker billions of dollars each year for making Google the default search engine on its Safari browser.

Apple does not plan to build its own search engine to compete with Alphabet's Google, whether or not the payments continue, the company's lawyers said in court papers filed in Washington on Monday. Apple received an estimated $20 billion from its agreement with Google in 2022 alone.

Apple wants to call witnesses to testify at an April trial. Prosecutors will seek to show Google must take several measures, including selling its Chrome web browser and potentially its Android operating system, to restore competition in online search.

"Google can no longer adequately represent Apple’s interests: Google must now defend against a broad effort to break up its business units," Apple said.

The Department of Justice's prosecution of Google is a landmark case that could reshape how users find online information.

Google has proposed to loosen its default agreements with browser developers, mobile-device manufacturers and wireless carriers, but not to end its agreements to share a portion of ad revenue Google generates from search.

A spokesperson for Google declined to comment on Tuesday. 

Meanwhile, Google in response to the proposal by the Department of Justice (DoJ) has proposed its own remedies such that it is not forced to sell its Chrome web browser. Google says that companies such as Apple and Mozilla should have the freedom to choose the search engine that they think is the best for their users.

"The Court accepted that browser companies “occasionally assess Google’s search quality relative to its rivals and find Google’s to be superior.” And for companies like Mozilla, these contracts generate vital revenue," Lee-Anne Mulholland, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, wrote in a blog post.

"Our proposal means device makers have additional flexibility in preloading multiple search engines, and preloading any Google app independently of preloading Search or Chrome. Again, this will give our partners additional flexibility and our rivals like Microsoft more chances to bid for placement," she added in the blog post.