Observed Signal · May 2, 2024 · Regulation · Source: Trending Topics · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Google Paid Apple $20 Billion to Be Safari Default Search
Court documents in the US Department of Justice antitrust case against Google reveal that Google paid Apple $20 billion in 2022 to remain the default search engine in Safari on iOS and macOS, up from $15 billion in 2021. The previously confidential agreement is one of the main targets of the antitrust lawsuit. An Apple manager reportedly testified that billions flowed from Google to Apple, and a witness said Google would pay Apple 36% of its online advertising revenue. The payments are not recorded in the companies' securities filings. Final arguments in the case are scheduled for the week, with a decision expected later in the year.
Reveals the scale of Google's default search payments to Apple in an ongoing US antitrust case, which could reshape search distribution and advertising economics.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Google paid Apple $20 billion in 2022 to remain the default search engine in Safari on iOS and macOS.
- Google's payment to Apple increased from $15 billion in 2021.
- The figures were revealed in court documents from the US Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit against Google.
- A witness stated Google would pay Apple 36% of its online advertising revenue under the agreement.
- The agreement is a central focus of the antitrust case, with a decision expected later in 2024.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mapped“The agreement between Google and Apple is one of the main targets of the current US antitrust lawsuit....”
“Google paid Apple $20 billion in 2022 to remain the default search engine in Safari....”
“Bloomberg reported on the court documents revealing the payments....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
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B2B Advertisers Must Embrace the Weekend
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