Google Retains Chrome but Must Share Data with Rivals
Google will not be required to sell its Chrome browser or the Android operating system; however, the company must share information with its rivals, as determined by a U.S. federal judge, according to BBC.
The ruling by Judge Amit Mehta came after years of legal battles concerning Google’s dominance in the search engine market. The case involved the company’s status as the default search engine on its products, such as Android and Chrome, as well as on devices from other manufacturers, including Apple.
The U.S. Department of Justice sought to force Google to sell Chrome. However, the court ruled that the company can keep it but is obliged to refrain from entering exclusive contracts and share search data with competitors.
Google had proposed less drastic measures, such as limiting revenue-sharing agreements with companies like Apple that make Google the default search engine.
The company described the court’s decision as a victory and stated that the development of artificial intelligence influenced it.
“Today’s ruling acknowledges how much the industry has changed due to the emergence of AI, which provides users with many more ways to find information. This confirms what we have been stating since the beginning of the proceedings in 2020: competition is fierce and users can easily choose services they prefer,” Google stated.
Judge Mehta previously recognized that Google employed unfair methods to achieve its monopoly, but this time noted that a complete sale of Chrome is an “inappropriate remedy.”
“Today’s ruling agrees with the need to restore competition in a market that has long been monopolized, and now we are weighing options to assess whether the court's decision is sufficiently effective,” wrote Deputy Attorney General Abigail Slater on X.
Following the ruling, Alphabet’s shares, Google’s parent company, rose by more than 8%.
Smartphone manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, and Motorola will also benefit. Previously, Google paid billions to these companies to pre-install or promote its products, but now such exclusive agreements will be prohibited. In 2021, Google spent over $26 billion on this.
Now companies will be able to pre-install other search engines, browsers, or AI assistants alongside Google’s products. At the same time, Google will still be able to pay partners to set its services as the default.
Analysts consider the ruling to be positive for large corporations.
“Apple also benefits, as Google will now have to renegotiate its search engine deal annually,” said Gene Munster of Deepwater Asset Management.
Meanwhile, competitor DuckDuckGo criticized the decision. “This does not compel Google to change its unlawful practices. As a result, consumers will continue to suffer,” said founder and CEO Gabriel Weinberg.
Google's legal troubles are not over: another trial regarding the company's illegal monopoly in the online advertising market is set to begin this month.
In August 2025, it was revealed that Google would pay $30 million to settle a case in which plaintiffs accused the company of violating the privacy of underage YouTube users, specifically by collecting their personal data without parental consent and using this information for targeted advertising.
