US Court Allows Google-Apple $20B Search Deal With Conditions

A federal judge ruled that Google's lucrative agreement to pay Apple around $20 billion annually to be the default search engine on Apple devices will continue, despite ongoing antitrust litigation. While Google is prohibited from entering exclusive search engine contracts, it can still make payments and offer other considerations to distribution partners like Apple for preloading or placement of Google Search, Chrome, and AI products. The judge emphasized that cutting off such payments could cause significant harm to downstream partners, markets, and consumers, thus opposing a broad ban. Google will not be forced to divest key assets such as Chrome or Android but must share certain search data with competitors to promote fair competition. This ruling highlights the balance courts are trying to strike between regulating Google's monopoly power and preserving the practical business relationships that sustain much of the digital economy. Google plans to appeal parts of the decision, particularly around the mandated data sharing.