The judge’s ruling on possible remedies is anticipated by August 2025.
Google is ready for a courtroom showdown, announcing on May 31, 2025, it will appeal a 2024 ruling that branded it an illegal monopoly in online search. The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) wants Google to sell its Chrome browser, end default search deals with phone makers, and share user data with rivals. Google calls these fixes extreme and says they won’t help users. Here’s the latest on the Google antitrust appeal and its impact on the tech world.
Google vs. DOJ in the Search Showdown
In August 2024, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled Google broke antitrust laws by paying billions to companies like Apple to keep its search engine as the default on phones and browsers, holding a 90% U.S. search market share (95% on smartphones). The DOJ’s plan includes selling Chrome, banning exclusive deals, and sharing search data to help competitors like Bing. Google posted on X, “The Court’s original decision was wrong, and we look forward to our appeal,” arguing its search engine wins because it’s better. Their fix? Let phone makers skip pre-installing Chrome or Search with the Google Play Store. Closing arguments wrapped up May 30, 2025, with a ruling expected by August.
What’s Next for Search and Tech
This Google antitrust appeal could shake up how we search online. Selling Chrome might disrupt its free, open-source model, Google warns, while banning default deals could boost rivals like DuckDuckGo. Data sharing raises privacy questions, and Google says the DOJ wants too much control. Compared to Microsoft’s 1990s antitrust case, this fight could set new rules for Big Tech, with appeals possibly lasting until 2026. It’s a high-stakes battle for the future of search and AI innovation.