Google To Keep Chrome, Android & Apple Deal, But Must Share Search Stats: DOJ

Recently, Google was given a run for its money—literally!

The company faced the possibility of having to divest prized properties such as Chrome, Android, and other cash deals related to its Google Search services to ensure healthy competition in respective markets.

Of course, Google planned an appeal.

Amid the chaos, artificial intelligence (AI) sector rival Perplexity even submitted an unsolicited bid for Google Chrome, offering $34.5 billion to acquire the browser that enjoys a global market share of 70%. Google also accounted for around 90% of all search queries in the United States.

Chrome was hovering around the 70% mark for a long time, but finally hit and surpassed that target as far as PC and smartphone users go.

Perplexity’s valuation sits at just over half of what it offered, i.e., $18 billion.

Needless to say, Google was not too keen on having to sell off such high-performing assets—and thanks to a recent court ruling, it won’t have to.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta (Washington) ruled that Google would not have to sell its Chrome browser or Android operating system, nor would it be barred from paying partners to push or preload its products.

Google has been reported to pay Apple $20 billion per year to remain the default search engine on Safari.

“Google will not be required to divest Chrome; nor will the court include a contingent divestiture of the Android operating system in the final judgment,” read an excerpt from the decision. “Plaintiffs overreached in seeking forced divestiture of these key assets, which Google did not use to effect any illegal restraints.”

However, the company won’t be able to enter or maintain exclusive contracts through which they will receive revenue share payments or licensing for applications such as Google Search, Chrome, Google Assistant, and the Gemini app, or restrict partners from distributing other GSE, browser, or GenAI products.

According to a press release published by the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Public Affairs, Google will also be required “to make certain search index and user-interaction data available to rivals and potential rivals.”

The DOJ believes the ruling would help open the market for fair competition.

“The court’s ruling today recognizes the need for remedies that will pry open the market for general search services, which have been frozen in place for over a decade. The ruling also recognizes the need to prevent Google from using the same anticompetitive tactics for its GenAI products as it used to monopolize the search market, and the remedies will reach GenAI technologies and companies,” reads its release.


Meanwhile, Google also responded to the judgment through a blog post.

The company was glad that the court recognized that the divestiture of Chrome and Android was not necessary, but it did question the decision to share data with competitors and the need for it.

“The Court has imposed limits on how we distribute Google services, and will require us to share Search data with rivals,” said Google. “We have concerns about how these requirements will impact our users and their privacy, and we’re reviewing the decision closely.”

Apple was in support of the decision for Google to share data with competitors. It did oppose the need for restricting payments that it receives, as that would eat into its development budget. Furthermore, it argued that there were “no other good options to offer as the default.”

Samsung was also in favor of continuing to receive payments from Google, as cutting into those funds would “hurt Samsung's ability to compete with the more profitable Apple.”

Motorola and Mozilla shared similar sentiments.

Google also believes that current competition is intense, and users can easily choose the services they want. “That’s why we disagree so strongly with the Court’s initial decision in August 2024 on liability.”

The trial began in September 2023 for a case that was filed in 2020. The concerned parties were set to meet by September 10, 2025, for the final judgment.

The positive news for Google saw Alphabet’s shares jump by 8% and Apple’s rise 3%.

Ahead of this, Google was reported to be facing a modest antitrust fine in the European Union (EU) for allegedly anti-competitive practices in its AdTech business, according to three people familiar with the matter.

This decision by Europe’s antitrust regulator—the European Commission—is based on a four-year-long investigation following a complaint from the European Publishers Council. This even led to Google being charged in 2023 for favoring its own advertising services over rivals.

However, in the following days, the EC decided to delay the fine as it waits for the U.S. to cut tariffs on European vehicles, which was a big part of the negotiations for a trade deal between the two.

Do you think the DOJ’s decision to stop Google from divesting Chrome and Android was the correct one?

Do you think allowing Google to make payments to partners would allow other companies to grow?

Let us know in the comments below!