Apple risks losing Google search engine deal

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Apple will be unable to get involved in an upcoming antitrust hearing that might violate its $20 billion annual search agreement with Google because its lawyers took too long to respond to a critical legal case.

The issue revolves around the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) antitrust case against Google, where a court ruled that Google unfairly maintained a monopoly over internet search. 

As a solution, the DOJ suggested breaking up deals that made Google the default search engine on Apple devices, which could put Apple’s lucrative agreement with Google at risk.

Apple, of course, wanted to be involved in discussions about this decision. After all, the agreement with Google brought Apple around $20 billion in 2022. 

However, Apple didn’t act quickly enough. The DOJ proposed these changes in October, but Apple didn’t officially request to participate until December. 

The company argued that it didn’t realize its deal was in jeopardy until November, but even then, it took 33 days to respond. (via: MediaDailyNews)

A federal appeals court found the delay “difficult to justify” and ruled that Apple could only submit written testimony but wouldn’t be allowed to actively participate in the live hearing set for April.

If the court decides to end Apple’s agreement with Google, it could disrupt how Apple handles internet searches on its devices. 

The deal with Google has been extremely beneficial for Apple, as most users stick with the default search engine. 

Apple once considered partnering with Yahoo but ultimately chose Google because the offer was simply too good to pass up. 

Instead of building its own search engine, Apple focused on its ecosystem while collecting billions from Google.

Now, with the court potentially canceling that deal, Apple faces uncertainty. If Google is no longer the default search engine on iPhones and other Apple devices, it could change how millions of users search the web.

What do you think about Google no longer being the default search engine on the iPhone? Would you be okay setting it up yourself? Tell us below in the comments, or via our Twitter or Facebook.