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Google CEO Sundar Pichai has reportedly referred to Search as a “very competitive” market during his testimony in the company’s antitrust trial with the Department of Justice.
Google is in its third day of presenting a defense and is doing everything it can to come off as the good guy. Pichai’s statement paints Google as being less in control of its lucrative default search deal than the DOJ is implying. Noting that Google had to “make compromises” when negotiating a continued deal with Apple to keep Google Search as the default option on its devices.
He also mentions the deal was crucial to future success in search. The DOJ however paints a very different picture. That Google uses illegal monopolistic business practices to maintain dominance in the market and lock out competitors. Of which these exclusive and lucrative deals are a big part. Last week it was reported that Google paid just over $26 billion in 2021 to keep those deals with Apple and others.
Google CEO says search is competitive and Google is just a business
For Google’s part, Pichai is listing Google as simply a business. Not an evil entity trying to keep competitors out. During his testimony he states that Apple had specific demands if it were to continue the default deal. Google didn’t want to lose its deal with Apple who was reportedly entertaining the idea of other search options back in 2016.
So it did what any business would and compromised to meet Apple’s demands and keep the deal alive. Basically, Google says it’s not necessarily dictating the terms like the DOJ is suggesting. And with that lack of control it can’t be engaging in illegal activity. Pichai’s statements today though are in contrast to what his opinions on being the default from well before 2016. Where he noted in an email to Google co-founders that being the only search option on Apple was “bad optics.” With a couple of weeks left in the trial it remains to be seen what Judge Amit Mehta will decide.
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