OpenAI Moves to Acquire Neptune as It Expands AI Training Capabilities 
Visa to Move European Headquarters to London’s Canary Wharf 
IKEA Launches First New Zealand Store, Marking Expansion Into Its 64th Global Market 
Momenta Quietly Moves Toward Hong Kong IPO Amid Rising China-U.S. Tensions 
UPS MD-11 Crash Prompts Families to Prepare Wrongful Death Lawsuit 
Amazon Italy Pays €180M in Compensation as Delivery Staff Probe Ends 
Wikipedia Pushes for AI Licensing Deals as Jimmy Wales Calls for Fair Compensation 
Taiwan Opposition Criticizes Plan to Block Chinese App Rednote Over Security Concerns 
Morgan Stanley Boosts Nvidia and Broadcom Targets as AI Demand Surges 
Anthropic Reportedly Taps Wilson Sonsini as It Prepares for a Potential 2026 IPO 
Northwestern University to Restore Research Funding Under $75 Million Agreement with U.S. Government 
Australia Moves Forward With Teen Social Media Ban as Platforms Begin Lockouts 
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Medicaid Funding Restrictions Targeting Planned Parenthood 
Singapore Court Allows $2.7 Billion 1MDB Lawsuit Against Standard Chartered to Proceed 
Rio Tinto Raises 2025 Copper Output Outlook as Oyu Tolgoi Expansion Accelerates 
Tunisian Opposition Figure Chaima Issa Arrested Amid Rising Crackdown 
EU Prepares Antitrust Probe Into Meta’s AI Integration on WhatsApp 
In a major antitrust case, Google CEO Sundar Pichai defended his company's practice of paying tech giants, including Apple, as the default search engine on their devices. Pichai stated that the intention was to enhance the user experience, making it "seamless and easy."
The Department of Justice, on the other hand, argued that these payments hinder competition and stifle innovation. Japan Today reported that recent court documents reveal that Google paid over $26 billion in 2021, while Alphabet's operating expenses reached approximately $68 billion.
The Purpose of Google's Payments to Tech Companies
As Google's star defense witness, Pichai clarified that the payments made to phone manufacturers and wireless phone companies served multiple purposes, according to ABC News. Beyond acquiring the advantage of being the default search engine, these payments also aimed to prompt improvements in security and overall device performance.
Google's revenue comes from displaying advertisements in its search results, and it shares a portion of that revenue with Apple and other companies that make Google their default search engine.
Google maintains that its dominance in the market is rooted in the superior performance of its search engine. Pichai emphasized the company's relentless efforts to provide the best user experience for every query. He stated, "We are working very, very hard to ensure that we deliver the optimal experience for every user. That's always been our true north."
Google's anxieties about potential competition were also revealed during the trial. The company feared Apple might establish its search engine, potentially disrupting the market. Furthermore, Google acknowledged concerns about losing talent to Apple.
Antitrust Case Timeline and Trial Proceedings
The antitrust case was initially filed in 2020, and the trial commenced on September 12th in the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. The proceedings are expected to span 10 weeks.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta is not expected to issue a ruling until early next year. If the court concludes that Google violated antitrust laws, a subsequent trial will determine the appropriate measures to curb Google's market power. One potential outcome could be prohibiting Google from paying companies such as Apple to make it the default search engine.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella appeared as a witness earlier in the trial, highlighting the significant hold that Google has developed over the market. This ongoing antitrust case underscores the scrutiny faced by dominant tech companies and their impact on competition and innovation.
Photo: Solen Feyissa/Unsplash
