Apple has been dealt a significant legal setback in its attempt to intervene in the U.S. government’s antitrust case against Google. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Apple cannot formally participate in the remedy phase of the high-profile trial, potentially putting its multibillion-dollar search engine deal with Google at risk.
The court determined that Apple delayed too long before attempting to get involved, filing its request 33 days after the proposed government remedies were submitted. Judges found this delay unjustified and denied Apple’s request to present evidence or cross-examine witnesses in court. The tech giant will be permitted only to submit written testimony and file amicus briefs.
At the heart of the matter is the longstanding agreement between Apple and Google, in which Google reportedly pays Apple approximately $20 billion annually to remain the default search engine on Safari across iPhones, iPads, and Macs. That deal has become a central focus of the Justice Department’s case, which alleges that Google uses its dominance in search to stifle competition and entrench its monopoly.
The DOJ contends that default search engine settings create a captive audience, as most users do not change them. This puts Apple’s lucrative arrangement with Google squarely in the crosshairs of potential antitrust penalties.
With the court rejecting Apple’s late involvement, the company now faces the very real possibility of losing a massive revenue stream. If the court’s proposed remedies stand, Apple may have to abandon the Google deal altogether, forcing the company to either accept a default search engine partnership without compensation or seek a new partner in a market with few viable alternatives.
Microsoft’s Bing remains one of the only competitive options, but Google still commands approximately 90% of the search market—a figure that underscores the DOJ’s concerns about monopoly power.
The broader implications of the case could ripple across the tech industry. The government’s action marks the most aggressive antitrust effort since its battle with Microsoft in the late 1990s, signaling a new era of regulatory scrutiny over digital gatekeepers.
Stay tuned to DC Brief for further updates on this story and other technology developments.
