By PAUL WISEMAN | AP Business Writer
WASHINGTON — In the landmark antitrust trial, a senior executive from Apple stood firm on the tech giant’s decision to designate Google as the default search engine on Apple iPhones and Macs, citing the lack of a comparable alternative.
Testifying on Tuesday, Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, expressed his belief that Google surpasses any other search engine in assisting phone and computer users in finding information on the internet.
The U.S. Department of Justice has accused Google of stifling competition by compensating Apple, Verizon, and other tech companies to prioritize its search engine as the default option upon device startup.
Google, on the other hand, argues that its dominant market position is due to the superiority of its search engine. Cue’s testimony supports Google’s claim. Furthermore, Google contends that users have the ability to switch to alternative search engines with just a few clicks.
This antitrust case marks the largest since the Department of Justice’s pursuit of Microsoft and its control over internet browsers 25 years ago. The case was filed in 2020 during the Trump administration, and the trial commenced on September 12th in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C.
Earlier in the trial, a behavioral economist testified that Google’s default status discourages users from switching search engines, largely due to the reluctance to alter ingrained habits. Additionally, the founder of the search engine DuckDuckGo, which holds a 2.5% market share, stated that Google’s revenue-sharing agreements with Apple and other companies hindered his company’s ability to compete.
A ruling from U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta is not expected until early next year. If it is determined that Google violated antitrust laws, a subsequent trial will determine how to curb the company’s market power. Possible measures include preventing Google from compensating Apple and other companies to establish Google as the default search engine.
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