Judge Denies Apple’s Intervention in Google Antitrust Case

A U.S. District Court judge has denied Apple’s emergency motion to pause the Google Search antitrust trial, stating that Apple failed to demonstrate sufficient grounds for the stay. The lawsuit, initiated by the Department of Justice in 2020, accuses Google of maintaining a monopoly over web search services, with Apple potentially facing significant financial repercussions due to its arrangement with Google, which pays up to $20 billion annually to be the default search engine on Apple devices. Judge Amit Mehta emphasized that Apple did not provide adequate evidence of direct harm from the trial’s outcome or a strong likelihood of success in its appeal. The next phase of the antitrust case is scheduled to begin in April, during which the U.S. DOJ has proposed drastic measures against Google, including divesting its Chrome browser. Meanwhile, Google contests these proposals, suggesting that it could offer alternative solutions without divestment. This ruling underscores the complex interplay between major tech companies and the legal landscape surrounding antitrust issues.