Google has defended its long-standing search agreement with Apple during an appeal in a major US antitrust case. The Silicon Valley giant was arguing that Apple selected Google Search because of better search quality, user satisfaction, and higher advertising revenue potential.
The case’s context is based on a 2024 ruling by US District Judge Amit Mehta, who found that Google had illegally maintained monopolies in online search and search advertising markets. The lawsuit was originally filed by the US Department of Justice in 2020 under the Sherman Antitrust Act.
Google says the agreement was based on quality
During the appeal proceedings before the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Google argued that Apple chose Google Search as the default option in the Safari browser because of its superior search quality, user satisfaction, and stronger advertising revenue opportunities.
The agreement allows Google to remain the default search engine across Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers, through the Safari browser. Court documents revealed that Apple receives a significant share of advertising revenue generated through Safari searches. According to details presented during earlier hearings, Apple earned 36 percent of the revenue from Safari search ads.
Billions paid to maintain the default position
The partnership between the two tech giants has attracted regulatory scrutiny because of the massive payments involved. Testimony during the trial showed Google paid Apple nearly $20 billion in 2022 alone to secure its default search placement on Safari. Regulators argued that such agreements limited opportunities for rival search engines to compete effectively.
Judge Mehta’s earlier ruling concluded that Google used its dominance in search to maintain market control through exclusive agreements and default placements. However, the court stopped short of completely banning the Apple-Google arrangement.
New restrictions on search deals
As part of the remedies, the court introduced several restrictions on Google’s future agreements. Google can continue paying Apple for search placement, but it cannot prevent Apple from promoting rival search engines or AI-powered search products. The court also limited such default agreements to one-year terms, allowing competitors a yearly chance to bid for placement in Safari.