Google’s payments to make its search engine the default option on smartphone web browsers violate US antitrust law, a federal judge ruled Monday, ha

Google Loses DOJ Antirust Suit Over Search Engine on Phones (1)

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2024-08-05 19:30:04

Google’s payments to make its search engine the default option on smartphone web browsers violate US antitrust law, a federal judge ruled Monday, handing a key victory to the Justice Department.

Judge Amit Mehta in Washington said that the Alphabet Inc. unit’s $26 billion in payments effectively blocked any other competitor from succeeding in the market.

“Google’s distribution agreements foreclose a substantial portion of the general search services market and impair rivals’ opportunities to compete,” Mehta said in a 286-page ruling.

Alphabet shares slipped 4.6% to $160.71. Apple Inc., which depending on the remedy could stand to lose billions in payments Google makes to have its search engine be the default browser on iPhones, fell 6.7% to $204.77.