Apple has 20 billion rea$on$ to defend its search deal with Google
Apple wants its day in court — specifically it wants a chance to defend its lucrative search deal with Google during the latter’s upcoming trial over how to resolve its illegal search monopoly, set for April. Apple SVP of Services Eddy Cue said in a declaration that if the court prohibits the companies’ arrangement that makes Google the default search on Apple’s Safari browser — a deal worth $20 billion in 2022 — it would create “two unacceptable choices.”
Those include letting US users choose Google as their default search and forgoing the payload, or preventing those users from choosing Google search, which, he says, they prefer, which would “harm both Apple and its customers.”
Cue said it’s “unlikely” Apple would build its own search engine, regardless of the outcome.
In lieu of more extreme remedies suggested by the Department of Justice, Google recently offered to loosen its search deals with companies including Apple. Now Apple says “Google cannot represent Apple’s interests at this stage” and would like to call its own witnesses.
Those include letting US users choose Google as their default search and forgoing the payload, or preventing those users from choosing Google search, which, he says, they prefer, which would “harm both Apple and its customers.”
Cue said it’s “unlikely” Apple would build its own search engine, regardless of the outcome.
In lieu of more extreme remedies suggested by the Department of Justice, Google recently offered to loosen its search deals with companies including Apple. Now Apple says “Google cannot represent Apple’s interests at this stage” and would like to call its own witnesses.
