Filing: Apple asks to participate in the remedial phase of Google's US antitrust case, saying it can't rely on Google to defend their revenue-sharing agreements
Apple (AAPL.O) has asked to participate in Google's upcoming U.S. antitrust trial over online search, saying it cannot rely …
ReutersJody Godoy
Context & Ripple Effects
Apple's request follows its earlier effort to limit DOJ access to testimony from its executives in the Google dominance case, underscoring that the company has long treated the litigation as consequential to its own commercial arrangements.
Apple seeks a formal role in the remedies phase so it can advocate for its revenue-sharing agreements rather than leave their defense solely to Google.
The court must weigh Apple's claimed interest against the scope and timing of participation in a case centered on Google's conduct.
Second-order effects
Google and the DOJ face a more complicated remedies process if Apple is heard separately, because the commercial partner most exposed to changes may not share Google's litigation priorities.
The filing puts distribution payments and default-placement arrangements more explicitly into the remedies debate, not just the finding against Google.
Third-order effects
If courts increasingly give major platform partners an independent role at the remedy stage, antitrust cases against gatekeepers may become disputes over interconnected business models rather than a single defendant's practices.
The episode points to growing scrutiny of how platform gatekeeper leverage is reinforced through partner agreements, though the eventual remedy and Apple's role remain unresolved.
The trend: Antitrust remedies are increasingly testing the durability of the commercial agreements that connect dominant platforms with their distribution partners.
So according to Eddy, it's either Apple gets $20B or no new search engines. No consideration of a competitive market outcome in which other options won't arise to meet the need.
I've long said Apple is the unindicted co-conspirator in Google Search antitrust case and DOJ should've filed Section 1 Sherman Act case naming them both. But DOJ didn't want to expand the battle. — Chickens meet roost.
Interesting. Apple motioning to intervene in remedies for US v Google I (search monopoly lawbreaking). Apple gets an estimated 15% of its profits from well north of $20B in revenues from Google (according to Google's own internal analysis) so this $&@! matters. [embedded post]
And Eddy Cue, who I watched closely at trial, and considered a bad witness for Apple's brand says the quiet part out loud. Apple can't, better said won't, give you the best Safari experience unless it can rake profits from Google for default search. bsky.app/profile/anti... [em…
“Or Apple could remove Google Search as a choice on Safari. But because customers prefer Google, removing it as an option would harm both Apple and its customers.” — The monstrous hubris of Apple. They believe that they own us, the customers who already paid to buy Apple comp…
Apple: “Google can no longer adequately represent Apple's interests: Google must now defend against a broad effort to break up its business units.” (Was predictable?) https://www.reuters.com/...
In a declaration filed on Monday, Apple's senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue, asserted that Apple has no interest in creating its own search engine and would prefer to continue to use Google. By @Amber_M_Neely https://appleinsider.com/...
🚨APPLE JOINS GOOGLE ANTITRUST FIGHT...TO PROTECT ITS $20 BILLION CHECK Apple is stepping into Google's antitrust trial, saying it can't count on its $20 billion-a-year partner to defend their sweet deal ... Apple swears it's not building its own search engine, even if the deal go…
Wow. Apple tells court deciding remedy for Google antitrust violations that it has a “protectable property interest” in ongoing bribes not to compete! (Trial showed Apple was gearing up to develop own search engine; now swears it'd never dream of competing on search anyway) [imag…