Antitrust trial showcases Google’s deals with Samsung and Apple for default search spot

Ben Schoon | Sep 27 2023 - 7:01 am PT

Google is the default search experience on many devices, and that’s in part because the company quite aggressively bids to be that default provider. In an ongoing antitrust trial, it’s been shown just how hard Google has pushed to remain the default search engine on Apple and Samsung devices.

The Wall Street Journal reports, citing evidence in the ongoing trial, a few of the tactics that Google has used to keep its default position on some of the world’s most popular devices. That starts with Apple.

Google has been the default search provider on Apple devices for 20 years now, but in 2007 Apple apparently approached Google to change its OS to show users a choice of several different search providers – Android does something similar today in the EU. Google, in response, said that it would stop giving Apple a share of revenue if Google was no longer the default option, something that had been in place for two years. Apple apparently dropped the issue at that point.

Apple’s Eddy Cue said during the trial that Apple’s contract with Google is “substantially the same” today.

In 2013, Apple debuted a feature known as “Suggestions,” the WSJ says, which could offer alternative links for certain searches in the Safari browser. Google, in response, said that Apple couldn’t go any further with the feature under the contract.

Meanwhile, on the Samsung side, Google took issue with the company’s decision to make it easier for users to switch the default search engine of the Samsung Internet browser. Google apparently told Samsung that it had violated its agreement and, in turn, Samsung rolled back the changes.

Another interesting tidbit on the Android side came from economics professor Antonio Rangel, who said that most of Google’s search traffic from Android phones comes from the search widget that is mandated on the homescreen, to which Google’s lawyer cautioned Rangel not to reveal any proprietary data.

Google also argued in the trial that contracts such as those mentioned above leave room for consumer choice and that partners choose Google Search because it is the best business decision. Eddy Cue said that Apple picked Google because it is the superior product. Meanwhile, DuckDuckGo’s CEO argued in the trial that Google’s practice effectively blocked the company’s ability to gain market share, which seems like it would be the case given Google’s aggressive, but ultimately business-forward tactics.

Google’s antitrust trial with the DOJ is ongoing.