Apple has formally requested to be involved in Google’s upcoming antitrust trial in the United States concerning online search. The tech giant expressed concerns about relying on Google to protect revenue-sharing arrangements that have resulted in substantial annual payments from Google to Apple, thanks to the latter featuring Google as the default search engine on its Safari browser.
In court documents filed in Washington on Monday, Apple stated that it has no intentions of developing its own search engine to rival Google, regardless of whether the payments from Google continue. In 2022 alone, Apple is estimated to have received approximately $20 billion from its agreement with Google.
Apple is seeking to present witnesses during an April trial, with prosecutors aiming to demonstrate that Google must take specific actions to foster competition in online search, such as divesting its Chrome web browser and potentially its Android operating system.
Apple emphasized that Google is no longer capable of effectively representing its interests due to the broad efforts to potentially dismantle various aspects of Google’s business. The ongoing legal proceedings initiated by the Department of Justice against Google mark a significant case that could redefine how users access online information.
Google has reportedly proposed modifications to its default agreements with browser developers, mobile device manufacturers, and wireless carriers, but has not suggested terminating the revenue-sharing agreements that involve Google sharing a portion of advertising revenue generated from search.
A spokesperson for Google declined to provide a comment on the matter.
