Following a previous ruling that determined Google’s illegal monopoly in the internet search market, Google has received a favorable ruling from a U.S. court, preventing the forced sale of its Chrome browser. The case originated with concerns about Google’s dominance in search, specifically regarding its own products such as Android and Chrome, and the setting of Google as the default search engine on devices, including Apple products. The court’s initial recommendations included severe actions against Google, which could have included the sale of the Chrome browser.
Despite avoiding the sale of Chrome and Android, Google must now share data with its competitors. Google had proposed less drastic measures, such as limiting revenue-sharing agreements with companies like Apple, and setting a default search engine on Apple devices. Google pays Apple billions of dollars annually to remain the default search engine on iPhones. The company views the court’s ruling as a victory.
